


East Academy Musical

by shhhhharlotte



Category: High School Musical (Movies), One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - High School Musical, Football | Soccer, M/M, hsm au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-07-27
Updated: 2015-08-14
Packaged: 2018-04-11 11:11:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 20,901
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4433273
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shhhhharlotte/pseuds/shhhhharlotte
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Louis is the star and captain of East Academy’s footy team and they are going to win the championships this year. At least that’s the plan before the beautiful boy from The X Factor auditions shows up in Louis’s class four days before the football season starts. Suddenly Harry is the only thing Louis can focus on. They get roped into singing, the team dynamic fails, and Harry and Louis go wild.</p><p>High School Musical AU. Everyone is more talented and more beautiful than real 16-year-olds. Louis, Zayn, and Niall play soccer, Liam is a beautiful nerd, and Harry is the new kid that everyone wants to know. (Featuring side Ziam, some UK celebs, and a few X Factor buddies, because nothing says Cheesey Disney Musical like characters pulled straight from 2011.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Start of Something New

**Author's Note:**

> After working on this for nearly a year and being part of the 1D Big Bang, I almost finished this fic around March 24, but then March 25th happened and I gave up on it for a bit :( But I couldn't just leave it, so here it is!!! I'll try to update when I can, but reviews and comments and sharing will probably motivate me to update sooner ;) :) ;) :)
> 
> <3 love you

The circumstances the brought Louis to that bathroom were strange on their own. He had never once imagined letting people hear him sing. He had never even _wanted_ to sing. But it had felt so right to sign up with hundreds of people around him, knowing the risk and possibilities, excited for the adrenaline the audition would bring him. But later, after it felt like a lifetime of waiting had passed, all he needed was a toilet.

Louis looked up at the boy next to him at the sinks, and _wow_ , what a boy. He was about Louis's height, probably a bit shorter if his big brown curls didn't have so much volume. His big brown curls were lovely though. So were the eyes beneath them. And the mouth beneath that. Everything about him was lovely; so lovely that Louis almost forgot about his audition.

He cupped his hands under the faucet, ready to wash away the nervous sweat under his fringe and—

Oh _shit_ , his audition.

"Oops!" _Shit. Shit shit, I'm a mess._ He was so nervous. He hated people watching him sing. Why was he here? He already was good at something, why did he need to push it?

The boy looked down at his splattered cardigan and back up at Louis, who probably looked like a fool throwing paper towels at him. "I'm so sorry. Oh my god, I'm such a mess, sorry." But they boy just started to smile. Which. Okay. Who was expecting the dimples? "Uh, sorry," he said again as the boy accepted his towels. Louis took a step back and stood up to his full height. The only thing going through Louis’s brain was finding a way to keep the dimples on that face. "I'm Louis."

"Hi," said the smoothest voice Louis had ever heard. "M' Harry." Harry smiled at Louis.

Louis paused for a beat—long enough to register what the boy had said. “I’m Louis. Sorry about your jumper," Louis said, trying and failing to be casual. This boy was really causing a lot of disruption in Louis's stomach. Or maybe that was the nerves. "Oh god, I hope it dries before your audition. I'm so sorry, I—"

"Oh, s'okay, I already finished mine! Just had it, actually."

Louis relaxed a very little, distracted and suddenly more worried about Harry's success than his own. "Oh really? How'd it go?"

"It went well, I think,” Harry blushed. “Got through, so..."

"No way! Congrats, man! That's so exciting!"

"Yeah, thanks," Harry said to the ground. Louis could still see his dimples. "I'm pretty proud. My mum dragged me all the way from Cheshire for this, so I'm glad it's been worth it so far."

Oh. Cheshire was kinda far from Louis. Not that living near this stranger he had just met was something he wanted, but, uhh, it was just a fact. "Yeah my mum dragged me out too," Louis laughed. "My audition is in a few minutes, though, so we'll see..." Louis reached into his pocket and checked the time on his phone. "Oh shit. I better go! Umm, nice to meet you... Harry, right?" He hadn't forgotten his name.

"Yeah, and good luck, Louis.”

"Yeah, thanks, hopefully I get to stick around." Nerves nerves nerves.

"I bet you will."

Louis left with a grin, watching the stars in Harry's eyes as he turned towards the door.

 

And Louis made it through. He hated his voice, but he made it though. How was this happening? Was this really happening to _him_? It probably wasn't.

He spent the rest of the day in the hotel gym—he had a job to do back at home, after all. Just because it was June didn't mean he could slack off. He ran off all the worry from earlier and then some, pushing himself to succeed at something he knew his body could do.

After Louis showered, packed his bag for the drive home, and had a long dinner and chat with his mum, he found some other contestants in the hotel lounge. He scanned the room's plush chairs, looking for anyone he recognized. He saw a blond kid with a guitar who looked eerily like one of Louis’s teammates, a guy with long grey hair who Louis was probably never gonna talk to, and at last he spotted brown curls under a grey beanie, his body facing away from the door but his trademark hair easy to spot.

He strolled over to Harry and stood behind him with the biggest grin on his face.

"Hi, Curly."

Harry whipped around and looked up. "Louis!" Harry stood up in a rush. His grin was the most adorable, idiotic, contagious thing Louis had ever seen. His eyes were sparkling like they had been before and his dimples were out. He looked positively ridiculous. Louis didn't want to think about what he probably looked like. "Hi! You're still here!"

"'Course I'm here, Harry. As if I'd miss out on this." And if Louis eyed Harry's torso a bit as he said “this,” who was going to care?

Harry smile grew (how was that possible?) and Louis moved around the couch between them to sit in the empty seat.

"So how was your audition, Lou?" Harry asked, sitting next to him. Closer to Louis than to the arm rest. Not that Louis minded. Not that Louis inched closer.

"Went well, I think," he said, not making eye contact. "Clearly I got though so I wasn't horrible."

"I knew you wouldn't be," Harry said with an air of cheek. But he was genuine, Louis could tell.

"Oh, you’re so kind, Mr., um…?” How was it that despite how comfortable he felt with Harry, he didn’t know a thing about him? “What's your last name?"

"Styles."

"Harry Styles. Hmm." Louis thought it sounded like a movie star name. Like Harry was meant to be adored. "Well, Mr. Harry Styles," Louis said with his best journalist voice. "Tell me about yourself."

Harry's eyes smiled (How do they keep doing that?) but his voice was professional when he spoke. "Well, I live with my mum and stepdad in Cheshire. I think I told you that." Louis nodded for him to continue. "Err, I have a sister in uni. I have a cat. I work in a bakery. I would really like your phone number. I like to sing." His dimples cracked and he stole a glance at Louis, who was absolutely beaming. "I'm thinking about studying law. I like to document things... And what about you, _Monsieur Louis_?"

Louis thought about starting with "I think you should speak exclusively in French" but decided he should save that. For when, who knew? Instead, Louis spoke quickly, listing facts as if he had a constant stream of them running through his head, ready to tell cute boys that needed impressing. "My name is Louis Tomlinson. My mobile is 07819 155204." He grinned as Harry scrambled for his pockets. "I have four younger sisters. I'm captain of my school's football team. I also like singing, but I mostly keep it to the shower or the car. I'm a cat person, but I love dogs too. My favorite color is red, like my school. I like literature..." He was running out of facts. "Anything else for the kind sir?"

Harry looked up from his phone, where Louis could see a new contact page ready. It was so cute. "Err, do you mind repeating that number bit? And would you take a photo for your contact? And maybe I could give you my number too?" Harry looked flustered, and Louis had to admit he wore it well. Harry probably wore everything well. (Harry probably wore nothing well. Louis had it bad. The rational part of Louis brain reminded him they had known each other for less than an hour, but Louis ignored himself.)

The two of them talked for hours. They mingled with some of the other contestants their age, had their own private conversations, joined the blond kid with the guitar and sang with him (Harry could _sing_. It was beautiful.), and they even got in some footage for the x factor camera crew that came by to congratulate the crowd and to wish them luck. Harry whispered jokes in Louis's ear about the guy in the corner holding a cat, Louis worked up the courage to touch Harry's curls, and by the time Louis mum came downstairs it was midnight and they were nearly glued at the hip.

"Boo bear, hun, we've got to be up early," she said over his shoulder.

Harry mouthed “ _boo bear?_ ” to Louis when she couldn't see. Louis glared at him. Harry was shining.

"Alright, mum, I'll be up."

"You better be."

Louis watched his mother head to the hotel elevators, and the impact of leaving this hotel hit him. He wanted his time with Harry to be unforgettable. He felt like this was his last chance to spend time with him, so he should leave it all out on the floor as if Harry was a stranger he would never see again. He wanted this magical fling to happen, even though he knew he shouldn’t.

And it seemed like Harry was thinking the same thing. "It's alright, _boo bear_ , I'll see you at boot camp next month," he said with a smirk.

Louis sighed. "I won't let you use that name against me, Styles. You can't win this." Louis's voice was cold, but his insides were melting. Harry was the best boy he had ever met and he had his number and his picture (and a few selfies from the evening) and it was wonderful. And he could feel his eyes crinkling at the corners.

"Mm kay, whatever you say." Harry stood up and held his arms open for Louis. (Was he always this cuddly?)

Louis stood and wrapped his arms around Harry's torso, hitching his chin over Harry's shoulder. One of Harry's hands was around Louis's shoulder, the other softly petting Louis's hair. Louis could feel Harry breathing in his neck and hoped one day they wouldn't have to break apart.

 

 

Pre-season started when August did. Louis always showed up early to practice his penalty kicks against Niall. And to mess around. But mostly to practice. When Coach Cowell showed up they would help him with the equipment and talk strategy. When the team showed up they would find Zayn and the three of them would talk about how excited they already were for their lunch break.

Their coach was a family friend of the Tomlinsons, so he had seen Louis throughout the summer. Louis’s mum had helped deliver all of his children, so the families had a special bond. He loved Louis, but wasn't afraid to push him. Coach Cowell had known Louis through grammar school football leagues and had trained him for his East Academy try out. This year they were favorites for the division championship, and Coach Cowell knew that and was determined to follow through; years of pent up disappointment motivating him.

Before The X Factor boot camp in July, Louis talked with his mother for hours and hours about what to do. Football was important, possibly the most important thing in his life (after his family, of course). Being the captain of a winning team could get him so many places. He could get uni scholarships and maybe even attract some professional scouts, and all by doing something he loved so much. He really thought about The X Factor and its potential life impact, and after weeks of mulling it over, he texted Harry that he was withdrawing from the competition.

Louis tried not to be too upset about it.

Harry sent him sad emojis for a few days, and once boot camp started Harry kept Louis updated on the ins and outs of the competition. It was nice for Louis to hear from Harry and get some second hand experience, but Louis was happy with his decision to stay at home. When Harry didn't make it through to the judge’s houses, they both agreed to meet up at the auditions in a few years. It sounded lovely, and Louis was glad he had some smiles to look forward too, even if football didn't work out.

But Louis was going to do his best with football, and his best usually meant winning.

Practices were hard but Louis loved them. When he was younger, football was the one thing that could hold his attention, and now his life revolved around it. When Louis started at East his grades were less than satisfactory, but Coach Cowell helped him out and forced him to maintain his grades to play, and that motivation spread to his life at home, too. He babysat his sisters all the time and did a really good job of making microwave dinners for them. He even taught Daisy and Phoebe how to play footy for their little league.

He was a pretty good kid, if he did say so himself.

Not that Louis didn't struggle or complain, but he knew the value of effort and the reward that came after. So he did his best.

Pre-season was steady conditioning in the muggy summer air, and by the end of August the only thing Niall would talk about was how wonderful it would be to sit in the air conditioned classrooms all morning instead of running around the field.

"Ni, don't say that. If you say it too much you'll start believing it. School is not the solution."

"Aww, give it up, Lou, you love school," Niall said as he rolled his eyes and blocked a shot from Mike, a second string striker.

Zayn chuckled slowly and Louis made a face at him. "What we really need is, like, a sprinkler, or like a garden hose or somethin’."

"That would be quite nice, Zaynie," Louis said, passing the ball to Zayn for his turn. The forwards were practicing their penalty kicks against Niall while the defenders and midfielders drilled. "You know what would be even better? If you had thought of that a month ago." Louis kicked the ball to Niall and looked at Zayn with his eyebrows raised. "You know, seeing as classes start on _Monday_." Louis shrugged. "Just a thought." Some their teammates behind them laughed with him. Louis loved his team.

Louis's voice was cold but he knew Zayn wouldn't take it seriously. "You're right, Lou. Maybe next year," Zayn said, taking the time to pronounce the words instead of his usual mumbled accent.

Coach Cowell whistled and the team jogged over. Louis could feel the stench in the air.

"Good work today, boys. Go on a nice run on Saturday. Take Sunday off from practice, get some sleep, and don't throw away your syllabuses on Monday. I'll see you after school in a few days."

They boys exchanged some fist bumps, some ass grabs, and a few mumbled "Thanks, Coach," then the team left to shower and sleep off their last few days of summer.

 

Louis called Zayn at nine thirty on Saturday morning.

"Zayn, what time were you gonna run today?"

Louis could hear Zayn frowning at him through the phone as his sheets rustled. That was talent.

Louis woke up at eight thirty, trying to transition back to a school schedule. He was pretty lucky that one of the best schools in the area was pretty close by. He could walk (if he woke up early enough), but Zayn and Niall, as gracious as their mothers were, lived too far to drive every morning. East Academy had dorms on the edge of the campus for kids like them: kids who were super smart and talented and worth housing, basically. Zayn and Niall had moved in when pre-season started, and it had been very nice having them back in town.

"'was gonna ru layah, may," Zayn grumbled through the phone.

"Later? Like... ten? Brilliant. I'll meet you outside!" It briefly crossed Louis's mind that he was a mean friend. But he didn't care. "Can't wait to see your shining face!"

He waited for a nice "fuck you, Lou" before he hung up, laughing.

Louis waited for Zayn outside the dorms around quarter past, knowing Zayn would be at least twenty minutes late. He sat on the steps of the building watching the Saturday morning campus.

He loved this place. It put him through a lot, but the people here were all so happy to be there. The students were enthusiastic about learning and about each other. The teachers were supportive and place itself was pleasant. Now that Louis thought about it, the atmosphere of the school was a huge motivator for his team. They wanted to do well and support the school right back.

He saw some people he recognized and some he didn't, everyone enjoying their last few days of not adhering to a dress code. Most of the people Louis knew were on the football team, or they played with him in the past. There wasn't a lot of opportunity for mingling when every moment not spent in class was spent practicing or in strategy meetings. He figured most of the people out right now were people who didn't party or really liked mornings. Or huge dorks who went to the library before classes started. Louis almost laughed at the people out and about, but then he realized he was out too. And he was waking up early to practice _before_ the official season started. And he was excited about it. So maybe Louis Tomlinson was a football dork. That was a weird thought.

Then Zayn opened the door behind him and saved him from his inner monologue right as one of the Saturday Morningers walked up the sidewalk towards the dorm. Louis jumped up and took in Zayn's annoyed posture. But Louis just smiled.

"Ya ready to hit the streets, Zaynie?" Louis said, throwing a few mock punches to Zayn's chest.

Zayn just looked around and tried to grab Louis's still active arms as some brown haired kid walked past them and into the building. The kid was lean and had books under his arm ( _dork_ ), and when he turned around to smile politely at the two of them, Louis felt Zayn's grip on his arms slide. Louis couldn't blame him, the kids eyes were the brownest, kindest things Louis had ever seen.

Zayn looked frozen. If Louis had been paying more attention, he probably could have seen Zayn’s brain moving in slow motion, carefully analyzing everything the boy was doing and the angle of his upturned lips and the soft crinkle of his genuine eyes. But Louis had his own priorities.

The moment the door shut, Louis pulled his arms free and slapped Zayn. "Are you quite ready? Jesus. No need to ogle at the people when we have a run to start."

"Geez, Lou." Louis could see a blush fading fast on his dark skin. "Fine, let’s go."

They set out, not sprinting but not jogging, pacing themselves as they ran. They saw Hood and Hemmings, two of their midfielders, running near the fields (“Nice arse, Tomlinson!”), but Zayn and Louis turned away from campus towards the town. (Louis bowed as they passed.)

Louis favorite route was through the neighborhoods near the school, where families with small children lived and old people sat on porches and everything smelled like freshly cut grass. It reminded him of a simpler time, but not necessarily one he longed for; a time of little homework and glasses of milk and dirty feet.

"So who was the kid with the eyes?" Louis asked suddenly. Zayn lost his stride and nearly tripped over himself as Louis threw his head back and laughed. "That bad, Malik?"

"No," Zayn defended quickly, catching up to Louis. "It’s nothing. He just lives on my floor, I think. I think he's, like, trying to get into law school. Maybe."

Louis looked at Zayn. He had a small smile as he looked at the ground ahead of him. Louis knew better than to make fun of Zayn for his feelings, so he reluctantly gave Zayn some privacy. _Run run run_.

Louis looked around the neighborhood, admiring the modest houses, the cute little gardens, and the dog walkers. They passed a house with miniature football goals in the yard and Louis smiled. Ahead there were some moving trucks and a brown haired lady holding a cat. Louis wanted a cat. That would be so fun.

"Zayn, I want a cat," he decided after they ran past the lady.

"Smart idea, that," Zayn sassed. "Better start begging your mum now if you want one before you grow too old."

"Aww, Zayn. The cat would be for you and me! No mums involved," Louis grinned at his friend.

"We are not getting a cat, I am stopping this conversation," Zayn said. Louis just grinned more. "How much further, Lou?"

"Just a few more miles to the pet store, Zayn." Louis picked up the pace.

 

 

On the first day of school, Louis had already ran, showered, ate, and dressed in his fresh school blazer all before 8:30. He helped his mum set up breakfast for the girls before she dropped them off at school and went to the hospital. His classes this term were interesting, his team was going to do well, and his ass looked _fantastic_ (thank you, East football). Today was going to be good.

> @Louis_Tomlinson: I can feel it!! East is gonna be big this year!!!

He found Niall by the cafeteria and they walked to their first class together. He, Niall, and Zayn tried to take a class together every term. It was a good way for them to bridge their extracurricular teamwork into motivation for grades. Plus, Niall was a riot in school. It kept learning bright and shiny. This year they were taking music production; a class made up mostly of people who needed an easy credit, but it was something that Zayn, Louis, and Niall all were genuinely excited to learn about.

When they turned into the classroom Louis scanned the room. The first few desks were occupied by some of the showy people—people who were in all the school concerts and orchestra shows and stuff. The tall kid with the tall hair was leading a conversation and some of the girls around him were laughing loudly. Louis didn’t really know them, but he knew they were all very exclusive and they walked the halls with purpose, like they were the most important students at East. (Louis knew he and his teammates probably did that too, but that was irrelevant.) Behind them was that ginger kid Louis saw performing in bars around town. He seemed cool but Louis had never talked to him. There were some of his old tennis friends in the center seats, and way in the back was— _yes_. In the back corner of the room, sitting alone and scrolling through his phone contently, Louis saw the brown eyed boy that had smiled at Zayn. This was going to be fun.

Louis went straight for the middle of the second row where there were three empty seats (and a decent vantage point for Zayn to gaze longingly at the boy in the back). He put his stuff down, swiveled in his seat, and grinned at Niall.

"Ni, see that kid? Ni, don't stare. Zayn is in love with that kid," Louis whispered excitedly. Niall rolled his eyes. "Okay so maybe I'm exaggerating, but Zayn definitely is into him."

Niall looked at the boy in the corner again and his eyes lit up. "Hey! I think he lives on my floor! I see him around all th' time."

"Do you know his name?"

"Errr, I think it's Liam. Maybe Luke. Definitely starts with an L." Niall looked up over Louis's shoulder and grinned. "Here's Zayn now."

"Top lad you are, Ni," Louis whispered as he turned to watch Zayn come in the door.

Zayn walked in, spotted the grin on Louis face, and frowned until he did a scan of the room. Louis watched Zayn's eyebrows shoot up the moment he saw this Liam kid, and he patted the seat next to him so Zayn could relax. The room was filling up and one of the only seats left was right in front of Liam.

"Oh my god?" Zayn said quietly when he sat down. "Why is this happening to me?"

"But Zayn! I thought you said it was nothing!" Louis was basking in this. Not often did Zayn Malik have a crush.

If Zayn's looks could kill (which Louis still had yet to disprove, actually), Louis would probably be dead soon with the way Zayn was glaring. Louis should probably back off.

"I'm kidding?"

"Don't push this, Louis."

Louis grinned and turned to steal a glance to see if this Liam was reacting to Zayn. "Alright, alright, I'll—"

But as soon as Louis turned around, Liam was forgotten—there, in the seat Zayn avoided, was a boy with the softest chocolate curls. His back was turned to Louis but he was unmistakable. Louis recognized the way his shoulders moved, the soft curves of his strange torso, the wrists covered in bracelets, and… _oh my god_.

Louis's mind was racing. He thought when he dropped out of The X Factor that he would have _years_ until he saw Harry again. He thought he would have months to prepare himself and time to tuck the sweet memories away in a safe place where not even Louis’s hyperactive thoughts would disturb them. But there Harry was, sitting in music production, wearing an East Academy blazer like it was a perfectly normal Monday, only feet away from Louis. Louis stomach was churning and his heart was beating so fast it felt like he had just finished a championship game. Harry was only _feet away from Louis._

Did Harry know he lived here? Did Harry see Louis when he walked in? Wait, how did Louis miss him walking in? Why was he here? Why wouldn't Louis's heart rate go down? How the f—

The bell went off and Mrs. Higgins called their attention.

Louis had no idea what she said, of course, but he was a decent student, so he took out his paper and a pen and tried to nod along, doing his very best to listen and not turn around and try to see Harry. Zayn gave him a questioning look but Louis ignored it. Or didn't know how to respond to it. _Harry was here!_ Mrs. Higgins passed out the syllabus and Louis not-so-subtly tried to look at Harry as he passed the pile to Niall behind him, but Harry was bent over his bag. _Harry was here!!_ Liam smiled politely at Louis when he realized he wasn't getting any eye contact from Harry. Louis made a confused face back at Liam. That was probably rude of him. He should have smiled. Could he even smile anymore? _Harry was here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!_

It was the longest hour of Louis's life. He didn't learn a thing about music production but he did learn that Harry spent a lot of time with his face in his bag. Louis checked over his shoulder whenever he could; Niall probably thought he had a twitch. He nearly got a detention when he started doubting his recognition of Harry's curls and tried to check the pictures on his phone from June. It was horrible. Coach would have killed him if he missed practice for a phone use violation.

Zayn was genuinely worried about Louis, all thoughts of Liam gone, irrelevant. When the bell rang at the end of class, Zayn leaned over to Louis desk and grabbed his arm. "Lou, you alrigh’?"

"Hmm? Yeah. Fine." But Louis was already done packing his bag and was following Harry out of the classroom.

Louis's heart was beating so fast when he left the room and the curly hair was already walking down the hall. But Louis was _not_ going to miss this.

"Shit. Hey. Hey wait!" he yelled at the departing boy. Louis weaved in and out of the mass of students and finally, when he was closer, he yelled, "Hey! CURLY!"

Harry stopped. Louis could practically see the shock on his face from behind. Harry looked for the voice (Louis wondered if anyone else called him curly) so Louis helped him out, now only a few steps away. "Harry!"

Harry turned around so quickly he nearly hit Louis in the face, but it was so worth the near-slap, seeing Harry's shocked eyes and dropped jaw widen into the brightest smile Louis had ever seen.

"Louis!" Oh god, his voice was lower. _Oh my god_ , was the only thing he could think. Louis was never going to move again. He could feel the stupid grin on his face as he stared at Harry like a proper fool.

Harry probably sensed the awkward, which was probably why at that moment he stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Louis. After a beat, Louis sunk into it. He wrapped his arms around Harry's back and hooked his chin over Harry shoulder like they did months ago. It was such a wonderful hug. Louis could feel Harry's thumbs rubbing circles into Louis's shoulders and Louis smiled into Harry's skin. It was so nice. Louis had never felt so physically comfortable with someone. And they had only really been around each other for a few hours. Three months ago. Jesus. That was strange. But Louis didn't fight it.

"It's so good to see you, Lou."

Louis hugged him tighter until… wait— "Harry. What the _fuck_ are you doing here?!" Louis shouted, ending the hug and immediately hitting Harry's shoulder. "This is _my_ school, Styles!"

Harry's dimples popped. "And mine too now! My mum's job made her transfer nearby and she settled here for the schools!" He sounded so excited. It was so cute. "And, like, I don't hate it here, so I think we're staying." Louis didn't miss the look Harry gave him as he said _don't hate it_. If Louis's stomach wasn't already flying it would have started at that look.

“I can’t believe it,” Louis said quietly, still staring at Harry as though he was going to fade away.

“Me neither.” Harry seemed just as glad to see Louis as Louis was to see him. It was like the summer months stopped existing and they had just picked up the next morning in the hotel at The X Factor auditions. It was so easy. Louis was so happy.

Louis took a breath, letting the initial adrenaline settle into his system to make room for the warmth Harry was creating.

"Well, Styles, let's get you acquainted, then." Louis's eyes spelled mischief but he controlled himself. Harry needed to love this school if he was going to stay, and Harry's presence in Louis's life was suddenly vital. The hallway was almost empty now, with people settling into their next class. They started walking towards the cafeteria and Louis started interrogating. "What classes are you taking? Where do you have to go next? Have you met any friends? Were you surprised to see me? Are you hungry? Let me see your schedule. When do you have lunch?"

Harry giggled as they walked. "Well, I'm taking... err," Harry struggled to read his schedule. "North American history, music production," (he gave Louis a nod) "French, debate, and pre-calculus. This hour is free for me, and I have history at ten. I was talking to a kid named Liam in that last class. He seemed nice. Do you know him?"

"Not until very recently." Louis checked his reaction. Harry grinned.

"Errm, what was the next question?"

"Were you surprised to see me!?" Louis was still in shock.

"Oh yeah! Um, yes, I was very shocked to see you. I saw your hair from the back earlier, but it's much more, like, floopy now," Harry did something ridiculous with his hands that must've meant Louis's 'floopy' styled hair. "I didn't think it was you, but it definitely reminded me of you. And then when I heard you shout 'Curly' I thought 'there's no way they're talking to me' but I knew your voice, so I looked for you and then... There you were!"

"There I was," Louis marveled.

"Best moment of my life I think."

Oh, and now Louis really was flying.

They turned into the cafeteria and found an empty table near the edge of the room. Behind them were bulletin boards, lining the walls under a painted sign that read “EAST ACADEMY LIONS” in red and white letters. There were windows on the adjacent wall that flooded the room with Monday morning light.

“This reminds me of the cafeteria at boot camp. I mean, they didn’t have posters for gardening clubs, but the windows made the dingy room so bright.” Harry sighed at the memory.

“Oh yeah!” Louis had… uh… sort of forgotten where he had met Harry. He gazed around the room, looking for listening ears, and then asked quietly, “How was boot camp?”

Harry gave him a questioning look but he didn’t seem to mind that Louis was keeping The X Factor stuff quiet. “It was so cool, Lou,” he said, keeping his excitement a few decibels below normal. “It would have been better with you there…” (Did Harry just wink at him?) “But the experience was so incredible.” Harry scanned the room like Louis had. “Do people, like, not like you singing, or something? Are you embarrassed, like? You have no reason to be—”

“Oh, no! Thank you, but,” Louis smiled at Harry’s concern. “I just, um, I don’t sing. Here, really. So only two people know I was even thinking about X Factor. Yeah. Like, here I’m a footy person, one hundred percent. So.” Louis was _nervous_. He was so worried this admission would somehow turn Harry off from him.

But he had no reason to worry. Harry’s eyes were bright and curious and he still looked at Louis like he was made of gold. “Football is wonderful! And you’re, like, the captain, right?” Louis nodded, almost shy that Harry remembered that. “That’s so cool.”

“Yeah? Yeah, I love it. Makes me happy.” Louis smiled to himself. Football was his everything. He was terribly fond of it.

“Trying to recruit the new meat, Tomlinson?”

Louis looked up to see the kid with the tall hair from production walking toward the bulletin board behind them. He had a piece of paper flapping in his hand and a blue letterman jacket around his shoulders. (Louis tried not to judge the jacket or the kid. It wasn’t even wearing the school colors! It made no sense. Louis wasn’t even sure it fit the dress code.)

“Nope, just doing my part for the Welcoming Committee,” Louis replied, smiling politely. As apprehensive as he was about this stranger (Nick? Noah?), Louis learned a long time ago that being polite to his classmates was key to maintaining a good rep for the team. And that was a sacrifice he made every day. (Zayn and Niall probably suffered from that sacrifice, because Louis knew they would never leave him no matter how snarky he was.)

Nick pinned up his paper as Harry leaned over to Louis and whispered, “Am I really just new meat?”

Louis laughed and replied, “Yes, I’m afraid so, Curly. But you’re the best new meat. Like duck. Or veal, even.” Harry giggled.

The kid stepped back and admired his poster. It read _Autumn Chorus Concert Auditions: Fall into Beat_.

“Cool poster,” Harry said kindly.

“Thank you,” he replied, giving Harry a subtle once-over. Louis knew he felt bad vibes from him. (It was just jealousy.) “I’m Nick Grimshaw. Student Producer for the school’s performing arts department,” Nick said, extending his hand to Harry.

“I’m Harry.” Nick held Harry’s hand just a bit longer than he needed and nope, Louis absolutely did not trust this guy.

“Well, Harry, you should sign up if you’re interested. We _love_ newcomers.” It sounded to Louis as if Nick didn’t really want them to audition.

“Errr, thank you, but I think I’m gonna wait to get into any extracurriculars. Have to help my mum unpack and settle into the school. Maybe next term, though.” Harry sounded genuine, which was the worst part of him talking to Nick.

“What about you, Tomlinson? Fancy an audition? We could certainly use some athletics in the chorus. A little variety never hurt anyone.” Louis focused on keeping his cool.

“Thank you very much for the offer, Nick. Unfortunately, life is a little busy as an _athletic_.” Hopefully Nick didn’t know Louis well enough to tell that the smile on Louis face was much more aggressive than it seemed. Not that Louis would be bothered by bruising Nick’s ego.

“No worries, lads. Have a good day!” And with that, Nick Grimshaw headed back to where he came from. Louis glared at him as he left (he knew better than to be sarcastic to his face, but that didn’t mean he would hold it in later). Louis turned to Harry, who was still looking at the poster.

“He seemed nice,” Harry dazed.

“Did he?”

Harry turned back to look at Louis with a shrug. Harry’s eyes were curious again, like they were trying to figure Louis out. And maybe Louis wasn’t ready for Harry to see his more flippant side yet, so he looked away.

Maybe he shouldn’t judge Nick too harshly. They were very similar, after all. They were both in charge of things they loved, they were both incredibly dedicated, and they both would do anything to avoid seeing it ruined. Maybe it was just the extreme opposite ends of the extracurricular spectrum that unsettled him.

“So you _really_ don’t sing here?” Harry asked with some cheek in his tone. Louis was grateful for the change in topic.

“Really, Styles. Really, really.”

“Shame, because there’s a duets audition list on here.”

Louis gasped in jest. “And you think I’d sing with the likes of you?”

Harry laughed and it made Louis soul tingle. “C’mon, Lou, it would be sooo fun!” he said with a grin, putting his hand on Louis’s shoulder.

“A right laugh,” Louis agreed, his eyes crinkling at Harry. It was so simple to—

The bell went off.

“Shit.” What was it with Harry that made Louis forget about everything he knew? “It’s almost ten already? Jesus. Do you know where your next class is?”

Gathering his bag, Harry said, “Yeah, it’s right down the hall from where we had production.”

“Perfect, that’s on my way.” They started walking, and this time Louis took a direct path to their destination.

“So, uh, what are you doing after school?”

For a small second Louis was so enamored by Harry’s innocent question, like everything in the world was new and shiny and nothing had been contaminated by hate or prejudice. But then Louis remembered the stress of his daily life. “I have practice. Our first game is this Friday so Coach is really pushing us. And then I’m making dinner and babysitting my sisters. And then doing homework,” Louis sighed. He sort of felt like he was apologizing. “Life is crazy when you’re me.”

“It sounds fun, to be honest! Better than unpacking boxes all evening.”

“But your mum sounds so lovely!” Louis said as they rushed around the last corner.

“She is, but she probably won’t get home until later, so it’ll be just me,” Harry frowned.

Louis frowned for him. “I’m sure you’ll manage. This is you,” he pointed at the door. “Um, I’ll see you tomorrow?”

Harry looked so reluctant, but he said, “Yes. Definitely,” with a reassuring smile. They were standing in front of Harry’s class, gazing at each other and maybe a foot apart. It felt like there was an electric current running between them, like if someone saw them from the outside they would be glowing. God, this was bad.

“Great,” Louis said, still breathing heavily from the fast walk there. “I still cannot believe you are here.”

“I know,” Harry nearly whispered, as if it was too much to say aloud. “It’s like it was fate or some—”

_BRRRRRIIIIIINGGGG_. And their bubble popped with the bell.

“Shit. I’m late,” Louis said as he started to walk away. “I’ll see you.”

“Bye, Lou.”

 

Zayn was glaring at Louis the moment he stepped onto the field. Louis knew he would be questioning him, probably worried, possibly mad for ditching him all morning. Louis could feel the tension all the way from the locker room.

“Where were you today, mate?” Zayn shouted from the bench as Louis walked over. Niall and a few of their teammates looked up at the two of them. Louis definitely didn’t want to do this with an audience.

Louis looked down in shame. He probably shouldn’t have just run away from Zayn as soon as class was over. But he had important things to do… but Louis still felt guilty. Zayn was his best friend and he hated keeping things from him. “Sorry, Z. Had a busy morning.” Louis hoped the pleading look he gave Zayn was enough for now, and he promised himself he would talk to Zayn after practice.

Louis put his duffle bag down on the bench and started lacing up his cleats as Coach Cowell walked over. “Okay, boys. With our first game on Friday against North Hill this week is all about rebuilding and improving that cohesion we saw last season. You’re all ready for this; we just need to put in the effort.” Coach looked around at the circle. “Louis? Anything to say?”

Oh right. Captain. Louis stood up and faced his team. Zayn looked at him expectantly, but everyone else—Stan, Niall, Josh, everyone—looked at him with the ultimate trust. “Err, like Coach said, this week is about focusing on us. If we give one hundred percent this week, it will be easier come play-offs. Keep your eye on the prize and your head in the game.”

“Excellent,” Coach clapped. “Okay! Let’s warm up!”

Practice was hard. They ran drill after drill and play after play and by five o’clock Louis wasn’t sure if his legs could drive him home. But it felt good. Louis knew how to give in to the pain and push through it. He knew tomorrow he would be stronger because of it. He knew that giving 100% to this team was what he wanted to do, and he was good at it.

Most of the team had dispersed when Zayn walked over to where Louis was lying starfished on the grass, checking his phone. He sat between Louis’s legs and said nothing. He didn’t need to say anything. They both knew Louis had something to say.

Louis finished sending a simple “:)” to twitter, sighed, and sat up, giving Zayn’s raised eyebrows an apologetic smile. “Sorry about this morning. I, uh…” He took a deep breath. “Did you see the new kid with curly hair sitting in front of Liam in production this morning?” Zayn’s eyes flickered quickly at Liam’s name, but he nodded. “I… I met him briefly over the summer, and I, like, had no idea that he would be here, so when I saw him I rushed out to find him. Sorry. And I gave him a tour of the school that took up free period. Sorry.”

Zayn’s mouth pulled up a little and he sighed at Louis. “It’s okay, Lou. I was worried you’d lost it or something, you looked almost sick all class.” Louis frowned more. “But I’m glad you’re okay, mate.”

“Yep, perfectly fine.”

“Good,” Zayn smiled. “So what’s the new kid like?”

“Uuggh,” Louis groaned as he flopped back on to the grass. “He’s very sweet.”

Louis could hear Zayn’s quiet laughter. “Too sweet for our Lou?”

“Don’t laugh at me.” Louis wasn’t ready to talk about this. And he probably shouldn’t, given the fact he had just told his team to focus 100% on football. Then Louis had an idea. “He’s friendly with Liam, Zayn.”

And that ended the conversation nicely.

 

 

The seating in their music production class had been completely rearranged. Niall had moved to sit at Louis’s left so Harry could sit behind Louis. Zayn stayed at his post as Louis’s literal right hand man, but Harry had drawn over Liam to sit behind Zayn. Louis was pleased. Zayn was not.

Louis had introduced Harry to Zayn and Niall before class on Tuesday (Niall having been caught up on Louis’s situation, thank you very much Zayn). Harry fit in so easily with them. Louis got the feeling Harry fit in easily everywhere, but it was still nice to know his friends approved. Not that _Louis_ needed his friends’ approval of Harry, Harry was his own person, but still… it was nice.

For the last few minutes of class on Wednesday, Ms. Higgins finished the lecture early to explain their new project. “This project will last the whole term.” Ms. Higgins ignored the groan that fell over the room. She was the kind of teacher that respected the students as much as they respected her. She stood tall in front of the classroom but didn’t tower, always making her students feel welcomed and challenged. “Throughout the next few months you’ll be learning the basics of producing music, and as you learn you’ll be applying those skills. By the end of this course, I want you to have remixed a song.” The dread of the project was wiped off everyone’s faces and suddenly everyone was sitting much straighter in their seats. Ms. Higgins smirked at the peaked interest. “The project will be individual, but I welcome degrees of collaboration. Use each other for help and resources to make your project amazing. Take five minutes to discuss some ideas with those around you.”

Louis spun around to Harry with wide eyes. “This is so cool.”

From Louis’s side Niall was sitting in awe. “Lou, this is the best thing I’m ever gonna do at this school.”

Zayn was already writing down his thoughts in his notebook (so was Liam, Louis noticed).

“What are you thinking about doing, Louis?” Harry asked him.

“Oh god, the possibilities are endless,” Louis said as he scanned the memory of his music library. “Maybe an old pop song, like bring back some Britney. Or maybe, like, a musical. I could get into Grease or something.”

Niall chimed in, “Lads, what if I do a traditional song? Like an Irish song or somethin’ like it.”

Harry’s eyes were glittering. ( _He looks nice when he’s passionate_ , Louis thought.) “What about, like, a symphony. Re-do a really classical piece. I’d love that.”

Liam looked up at him. “That’s what I was thinking, mate!” Harry looked at Liam with genuine excitement. “And you could mash-up with classical. Like if you put some Drake over Beethoven. Could be cool.”

Harry looked absolutely floored with ideas. Zayn, meanwhile, had stopped scribbling when Liam spoke and was now looking right at the brown eyed boy. And Liam noticed.

Zayn scrambled for something to fill the silence. “Er, Drake would be a fun project.”

Liam looked like a puppy who had just found a tennis ball. “Yeah? I love Drake.”

“Me too,” Zayn blushed. Louis didn’t think this exchange was blush worthy, but he also wasn’t Zayn, so he helped him out.

“Liam, mate, a mashup would be brilliant. You should seriously consider it.”

“A mashup?” came a low voice from outside their little cluster. “Who is thinking about a mashup over here?” Nick looked around the circle they five boys had created.

Harry was the first to speak. “Liam was thinking about it, Nick,” he said politely.

“Ooh, Liam, very smart of you!” Nick said, leaning around Harry. “Sounds like an interesting project.”

Liam looked indifferent to Nick’s excitement. Louis approved of Liam. “Thank you. Just throwing around some ideas.”

Class ended with a group brainstorm and a quick reading of the assignment sheet, and then they were free.

Louis told everyone he’d see them later (which was the truth), and ducked out of the classroom as subtly as he could.

As much as he disliked Nick, the East Chorus was a concept Louis just couldn’t shake. Whether this interest was because Harry was into chorus didn’t really matter to Louis because the idea had been planted either way. He had found out yesterday that the chorus practiced at the same time he had a free period, so, Louis figured, why not go and just watch? Couldn’t hurt? Right?

He had to get there fast before he talked himself out of it.

Louis found a seat in the back of the auditorium and watched the singers filter in. He saw the ginger kid in his production class go straight to the microphone, singing a few lines of a song Louis didn’t recognize and _wow_ could he sing. Nick came in and sat at the piano (Nick could play the piano? Huh? Louis had always imagined him just sitting and shouting at the singers.) There were a lot of girls Louis had only ever seen in hallways; a small girl with tattoos and a girl with blue eyes that Louis could see from his distant seat were whispering on the edge of the stage.

Everyone must have arrived, because Nick played a few chords and everyone lined up around the piano and the mic. Louis leaned forward, curious.

Someone touched Louis’s shoulder and Louis nearly jumped out of his seat. Harry stood next to him in the row trying to keep his laughter silent. “Sorry,” he whispered. “Didn’t mean to scare you.” Louis didn’t think his eyes looked too sorry. But Louis didn’t care.

“Harry! What are you doing here?” Louis whispered while the chorus below warmed up and Harry put his bag on the floor.

“I could ask you the same thing,” he smirked as he sat down next to Louis.

“I—I just…” Louis sighed. “I wanted to watch them practice, alright?”

Harry smiled. “It’s okay, Louis, I wasn’t accusing you. I’m curious about them, too.” Harry leaned forward and rested his arms on the chair in front of him. “Liam said he knew one of the girls in chorus and it sounded like it was another world.”

Louis nodded. “They do a really good job of choosing songs,” Louis said, matching Harry’s posture. Louis was usually mostly focused on football and the athletic aspects of East Academy, but his mum used to drag him to the chorus concerts when he was younger. “They always do songs someone will know, but it ranges from Katy Perry to Billie Holiday, so everyone is pleased.”

Then they started singing. The auditorium was filled with piano and guitar and a beautiful harmony of voices that created pure magic around them. “Is that—is this Mumford?” Harry asked, not able to take his eyes off the small crowd below them. “Shit, Lou, this is amazing.”

Louis watched Harry absorb it all. It was mesmerizing, both the song and the way Harry’s eyes were glued to the performance. Louis looked at Harry’s hands hooked over the seats, his fingers tapping to the beat. Harry’s leg was bouncing with the song and his nodding made his curls spring ever so slightly. It had only been three days with Harry, and already Louis couldn’t tear his eyes away.

When the song ended and Louis was morally okay with distracting Harry from the music, he reached over and wrapped his hand around Harry’s.

Harry looked down at their hands in shock as Louis’s fingers settled in, then slowly he looked up at Louis, like he didn’t believe what was happening, like he was the luckiest kid in the world. His eyes were so focused on Louis’s and his hand squeezed Louis’s ever so slightly.

Louis’s heart was beating so fast.

When the next song began, Louis gently nudged Harry’s shoulder with his own and they turned back towards the stage. Louis wanted to say _thank you for letting me touch you_ and _I think you’re wonderful_ and _I’m so glad you’re here with me_ , but he couldn’t. Louis knew now wasn’t the right time, so he hoped the heat between their hands would be enough.

The chorus practice was amazing. Louis was happy to notice that Nick did do a fair share of shouting, but it was still a very collaborative group. Louis could respect that.

While the chorus had been singing, Louis distantly wished he was up there with them, but now that it was over, he relaxed back into his seat, content with just watching. However… he wasn’t upset about the thought of singing. That was new. He had never really wanted something like that, but after his brief experience with X Factor and Harry, it was suddenly something Louis would be happy to be a part of. Louis had never been dissatisfied with his life. Things at home were crazy, but he loved his family no matter what. His friends were amazing and his grades were strong. Football had always filled any hole in Louis’s life. But now… It was like Harry came into his world and his heart expanded. Suddenly there was room for singing and romance and soul-crushing happiness. It was strange. But Louis didn’t mind the change.

Louis sat there in the back row of the auditorium pondering his life, so he barely registered Harry get up and walk to the stage. When Louis refocused, most of the chorus had left and Harry was talking with the ginger kid, his smile wide. Louis walked down the aisle and went to join them. He couldn’t help but be glad most everyone was already gone or leaving. Just because Louis was suddenly more open to the idea of singing didn’t mean he was going to start his East Academy solo career that day.

“Oh, Ed, this is Louis,” Harry said as Louis walked up.

“Louis!” Ed said, turning towards him and extending a hand. “Footballer Louis. Nice to meet you, mate. I’m Ed.”

“Likewise,” Louis said. “Lovely voice you’ve got, man.” He wanted to be polite, but this was a rather different experience than what he was used to at East. He didn’t really know how the performing people worked.

“Thanks, mate,” Ed replied, genuinely pleased. He was packing up his guitar and had a folder bursting with what could only be music.

“We were just talking about the arrangements they sang. Louis, Ed was the one who organized that!” (Harry was still so cute when he was passionate.)

Ed laughed modestly. “Thanks, Harry. That was actually all of last year’s stuff, which is why it sounded so good. Usually it takes weeks to perfect that kind of sound. And it’s very much a team effort. Nick does a lot of the directing and stuff...” Ed paused to flip through some of the papers he was holding and gave a sheet to Louis. “This year we’re starting over, all new music, it’s gonna be great.”

Louis looked down at the paper in his hands. He had absolutely no idea how to read music; Louis suddenly felt very out of his league.

Harry leaned over Louis’s shoulder and looked at the music. “Ed, this looks so cool.”

“Thanks. It’s still in progress, but I’m getting a lot of good vibes from it… It actually needs two soloists. If you two were interested it would be perfect.”

Louis looked up quickly. “Oh, no, that’s quite alri—”

“I think it’d be fun, mate,” Harry said. Louis didn’t know what to do. All Louis knew was his instinct to run from change, but he could feel Harry’s body leaning behind him, and he focused on that. Harry smiled and added, “I’m not sure if I would make it through auditions, but it would be an experience to sing with you.”

“Bullshit, Harry, you just told me you were on X Factor, not three minutes ago.”

Harry blushed. “I didn’t get _that_ far.” Louis felt like he was in a daze.

Ed rolled his eyes fondly. “I think you should audition. Both of you,” he added, looking at Louis. “But it’s your move.” Louis just shrugged and hoped it looked normal. “I have to get to class, but I’ll see you lads later?”

“‘Course.”

“See you.” Louis gave a weak sort of salute that Ed probably didn’t see.

Harry seemed happy. Louis was glad Harry seemed happy. Louis felt confused.

“That was so nice of him.”

“Yeah…”

“That was a good show, too. What a great morning it’s been.” Harry sighed and checked his watch. “Louuuuuuis. Wanna walk me to history?”

Louis looked up at Harry’s cheery face. Louis needed to kick back into gear if he wanted to make it through lunch. He thought about how wonderful it had been to hold Harry’s hand and stood up a little straighter.

“Of course, Haaaaarry.”

 

 

Harry and Liam climbed up the bleachers and found a bench that wasn’t too damp. In a rushed apology at lunch on Thursday, Louis had invited Harry to watch their football practice to make up for missing lunch _again_ for a team meeting. Their first game of the season was tomorrow and the entire school was buzzing with the energy.

Harry had invited Liam because, why not? Liam was nice and genuine and Harry wanted someone to talk to. Plus, he actually seemed excited to sit in the heat and watch the football team practice.

They watched the team gather and do a few warm ups. Harry smiled when they ran in front of the stands. Louis’s eyes crinkled up at him in a subtle hello.

“Did you ever play football?” Liam asked when the team started their drills.

“I tried,” Harry laughed. “With my knowledge and understanding of the football game, I feel like I should be a lot better at football.”

Liam laughed with him. “I’d like to think I’d be pretty good, but I was always much more drawn to school, I think.” He paused and they watched Zayn and Calum weave down the pitch. “I used to run track for East, but then I joined the debate team and I liked that more.”

“You’re on the debate team?” Harry asked, his attention caught. “I did debate at my last school.”

“Yeah? My friend Jade and I are the captains. You should come to one of our meetings if you’ve done it before. One of my partners graduated last year, so there’s a seat next to me if you wanna try it.”

Harry nodded slowly, “Yeah, that would be nice. I’m not sure if I’ll stick with it for this term, but I’ll definitely try it out. Thank you Liam.”

“Any time, mate. Jade was just saying we need to start recruiting again.”

“Jade-in-chorus Jade?”

“Yeah. She’s super smart. We’ve been friends since primary school and our parents sent us to East together.”

“Woah. She sounds special, mate.”

“She is,” Liam said fondly. “Oh!” he started. “But not like that! We’re just friends.”

Harry smiled at him. “Friends can be special, Liam, it’s okay,” Harry said, a little bit mocking but still genuine. “Hey, Liam…” Harry began after watching Louis take a penalty shot. “You know Louis Tomlinson, right?”

“Everyone knows Louis Tomlinson, Harry,” Liam smirked knowingly.

Harry smiled tentatively. “What do you think of him?”

Liam gathered his thoughts as one of the defenders below stopped an attack. Carefully, Liam said, “I think he’s a good guy. He’s one of the best strikers this school has ever seen, and that’s something to be said. He spends most of his time with his team, even in the offseason, but that’s what happens when you work well with people. A lot of people probably think he’s self-centered, but you sort of have to know you’re good at something if you’re gonna lead it, and that’s what Louis does.” Harry hung onto his every word. “He leads the team well and there’s a reason all his teammates look up to him.”

As Liam spoke, Harry watched the team set up for a scrimmage. Louis was talking to the coach as everyone put on red and white jerseys and stopped for some water. Harry could see the intensity of the coach’s squinting eyes and how Louis stood beneath him. Louis’s posture was tall and purposeful, but Harry watched Louis rub his eyes and run his hand through his hair.  Louis never really spoke about the game with him, but he did tell Harry all about his classes and his sisters and his mum. It must be heavy to carry all that with him.

“Yeah, he’s a good guy,” Harry said fondly.

Then it was Liam’s turn to be nervous. “He’s, uh… He’s friends with Zayn Malik, right?”

That brought Harry’s focus away from the field. Harry looked at Liam with knowing eyes and a cheeky smile and Liam blushed. “Yes, he is, Liam! Why on earth do you ask?” Harry wiggled his eyebrows.

Liam got even redder and stared intently at the grass below, but his eyes were sparkling with Harry’s. “No reason. Just wondering,” he replied, way overshooting for casual. “He lives on my floor. I see him around.”

Harry laughed to himself and said, “Well, Liam. If that’s all.”

“It is.”

“Good, good,” Harry smiled. Then he had a thought. “Hey, would you like to come to the game with me tomorrow?”

Liam’s blush faded with the change in topic. “I’d love to, Harry.”

“Excellent.”

The boys on the field yelled as Louis scored against Niall’s team, the red team exchanging high fives and victory dances. Harry joined the distant cheers as Louis met his gaze. 

 

 

Louis Tomlinson lived for game days.

The entire school was dressed in red and white—some of the dedicated people even wore face paint to class—and everyone was light and happy. Sometimes some of the cooler teachers would schedule lighter lectures or movies on big game days; it was like a school holiday. During classes Louis could see people making plans for the night and at lunch the cafeteria was loud and spirited. The school was bursting with positive energy and so much of it was pointed at Louis. It was very possibly Louis’s favorite thing.

Ms. Higgins started production that morning by wishing Zayn, Niall, and Louis good luck, and the class gave a few cheers. Harry had put his hand on Louis’s shoulder and the warmth it had left stayed in his skin all morning. At lunch, some of the marching band paraded through the cafeteria and everyone in the room sang a thrilling rendition of God Save the Queen. Louis’s classes went by quickly so by three o’clock the last thing left for him to do was win.

Louis was walking with Stan when he saw Harry standing outside the locker room doors.

“Hey, mate I’ll meet you inside,” he said to Stan quietly.

“Sure thing, man.” Stan kept walking as Louis slowed to meet Harry. Stan had known Louis nearly as long as Coach Cowell had, and though their academic interests were very different, Stan was one of Louis’s closest friends on the team.

Stan nodded to Harry with a smile, walked through the doors, and they were alone.

Louis hadn’t stopped smiling all day, and now he probably couldn’t stop even if he tried. Harry waited for him, leaning against the clean cinder block with his curls everywhere and his big green eyes all crinkled at the corners. Louis had never seen something so beautiful.

“What are you doing here, Styles?” Louis asked with his most flirty voice. “I thought I was gonna text you after the game?” He leaned his shoulder against the wall so they faced each other, their posture and their expressions mirrored.

“I just thought I’d come wish the footy star good luck.” Then Harry’s eyes twinkled as he added, “So, have you seen Niall anywhere?”

Louis scoffed and punched Harry’s shoulder as Harry mockingly looked around.

“Seriously, though,” Harry’s face softened the wrinkles around his eyes smoothed out. “Good luck, Louis. You’re gonna be great.”

Louis smiled and softly said, “Thank you, Harry.” Louis still couldn’t believe how wonderful this boy was. Harry had never seen Louis play a game or sing anywhere except his car and he still believed in Louis so unconditionally. Harry made Louis feel on top of the world.

Then Harry slowly pushed off the wall, leaned in, and kissed Louis on the cheek, his curls tickling Louis’s ears. Louis closed his eyes and absorbed Harry’s warmth. When he opened his eyes Louis memorized everything about the moment; the dirty smell from the locker room, the fluorescent lights, the cold white stone that he leaned against, the distant sound of crowded hallways, the faint chuckle from Harry as he pulled away, the way his heart jumped when Harry gently took his hand and squeezed it before he stepped back…

Louis was so fond of him. “You’re the best, Harry Styles. Did you know that?”

Harry chuckled at him. “I could argue the same about you, but yes, I did know I was pretty great,” he said with a wink. Louis was so weak. “Go get ready, captain."

Louis nodded but couldn't make himself move. Harry was apparently still in control, so he stepped back from the wall, gave Louis's hand another squeeze, and walked away with the proudest smile. Louis watched him go, and right before he turned the corner Harry yelled, "See you at the game, Louis!" and he was gone.

Louis had so much adrenaline it felt like he was floating. He had Harry in his life (even if it was still weird and undefined) and he had a game to win. Louis was so unbelievably out of control, but he had never been happier. It was the feeling people wrote love songs about.

Ten minutes later Louis walked out on to the field in his red kit with his team behind him, ready to play.

After a quick team huddle about focus and teamwork and trust, they started their warm ups. The North Hill team was there, unloading their bus and setting up their water coolers in their hideous green shorts.

Louis looked up to the rapidly filling stands. He knew his mum was working, but he scanned the crowd for Lottie and Fizzy, who sometimes walked to watch his home games. He couldn’t spot his family, but at the very top of the risers he saw Harry (next to Liam, Ed, and… was that Nick?). A nice camera was hanging from his neck and when he met Louis’s gaze, Harry scrambled to hold up a poster that read “GED IT, BOO BEAR” in big red letters. Louis smiled up at him and was sure he could see Harry’s dimpled response from the field. It was so wonderful.

“That’s lovely, Lou,” Zayn said, walking up behind him, his accent thick with fond sarcasm. But as they watched, Harry fumbled with Liam and, with Harry’s hands on his wrist, Liam held up a sign too. It read “LET’S GO MALIK” in the same red letters (presumably Harry’s hand writing. Louis made a note to thank Harry for the fun). Louis’s grin spread as Zayn blushed. “What’s Liam doing here?”

“Honestly, Zayn, I’d be more worried if Liam wasn’t here. The entire school is here: it’s the first game of the term. Why wouldn’t he be here?”

Zayn huffed as they finished their warm ups, stretched, and gathered once more.

“You boys are ready for this season,” Coach Cowell began, his voice confident and powerful. “This game will be an even fight, and no matter what happens it will show us our weaknesses. But right now you know your strengths, so use them. Lean on each other and do your job: you’re all more than capable.”

Louis looked around at his teammates, each one of them focused and preparing in their own way. Zayn ran his hand through his hair, Luke had his eyes closed as he listened, Niall kept tapping his toes on the grass, and Louis thought about how much he loved these boys and this game.

“Ready?” Coach Cowell asked.

“Ready.” They put their hands in, shouted a group “EAST!” and the starters jogged into place.

Louis jumped in his spot, listening to the screams and cheers of the now crowded stands. He turned to Zayn, who nodded from his spot next to him on the center line. He turned further and gave a trusting smile to his midfielders, to Stan, and finally to Niall in goal. Everything seemed to be moving in slow motion; like his body was changing gears and game speed was the normal he was waiting for.  He was ready.

Louis channeled his thoughts to a confident _run run run_ , silenced the chants of _East, East, East_ , and waited for the starting whistle to blow.


	2. What I've Been Looking For

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> East Football's season is on a roll and Louis settles into his new life of singing, running, and not kissing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay for updates!!! If you read Chapter 1 before August 14th, you should go reread at least the end of it, because I added a scene :) 
> 
> I hope you all like it!!! Sorry for not brit picking. Yolo. When they start to sing the song (you'll know where) you should play the song as you read.... it's cool. And I hope you enjoy the cute ot5 I got emotional over!! Love y'all.

Harry had been to a Coldplay concert in Manchester once, but nothing else compared to the screams around him. It actually didn’t feel too different from a concert. There was passion and fondness and a familiarity between the fans and the team that would have warmed Harry’s heart if wasn’t already over heating from the sun and the crowd.

If the stands held more people, it would have felt like a professional game. The skill and the speed of the players were incredible to Harry, whose past schools were considerably lacking in athletic departments. Even though it was all very new, Harry loved it.

Liam proved very helpful, explaining to Harry the team’s usual strategies and all the players Harry hadn’t met.

“That’s Ashton. He’s a year below us but he’s crazy fast. Sometimes he has trouble with coordination, but it’s usually just a laugh and never actually causes any harm to the score. One of our best midfielders, I’d say,” Liam said, pointing to a short boy with light brown hair. “And Josh, the defender talking to Niall there, he’s really good. They’re all really good, to be honest.”

Harry nodded along, doing his best to identify the boys Liam mentioned while still watching number seventeen.

Every time Louis stole the ball the stands would go wild. Every time the ball went anywhere near Niall everyone shut up. But no one ever sat down. Right before the end of the first half, amid heavy defense and tension, Louis made a flawless cross to Zayn and East made the first goal of the game.

It felt movie perfect: the loud cheers, the way the East footballers all jumped as Zayn sprinted back around the field in celebration, the pride in the air was tangible, and Harry could feel it growing in the crowd. Harry watched Louis throw his head back in laughter when he hugged Zayn, and he reveled in the moment Louis looked up at him from the field once the half finished. Harry jumped, screaming with the crowd as the team exchanged hugs and rehearsed handshakes and smiles.

“I can’t believe they’re winning,” Harry said when the second half started. “It’s sick.”

Ed laughed from his side, “You get used to it, mate. But I do agree that it never stops being exciting.”

Harry turned to Liam, who hadn’t taken his eyes off Zayn since the goal. “Hey, Li, you doing alright?”

Liam just smiled, but didn’t stop watching the game. “Just great, Harry.”

Harry sighed and looked around at the atmosphere. The crowd was still so enthusiastic and loud; they were as part of the game as they players.

“I could get used to this, Ed.”

“I don’t doubt it.” Harry grinned. “You know, Harry, my offer for chorus still stands if you need something to do when you’re not ogling at footy games.”

Harry looked at Ed with his eyebrows raised. “You’re still pushing it.” Ed had talked to Harry about it at lunch, too. According to Ed, the chorus needed new voices but they weren’t really advertising for it. There was some underlying drama around open auditions this year, apparently.  “I told you I’ll think about it,” Harry replied as he watched Luke dribble around a North Hill defender.

“At least come watch the auditions. No obligations, just observations.”

Harry sighed. “Fine. But no promises that singing will happen."

Nick, who was sitting on the other side of Ed, sighed dramatically, but Harry chose to ignore it. If Nick didn't want him singing, that was his own problem.

Instead, Harry looked back at the field where Niall was kicking the ball away from the East goal.

The game was tight. North Hill very nearly scored when East defender Dan fouled a North striker and they got a penalty kick, but all hail Niall, the genius goalie who saved it. The game went on and on, the ball flying from goal to goal, but North Hill never scored.

By the eightieth minute, it was just a race against the clock, Louis and his teammates trying to keep the ball away from Niall until finally, _finally_ , the game was over. The whistle blew, the ref waved his hands, and the crowd went wild.

//

With the final whistle, Louis let the outside world flood his senses: the screams from the stands above him, the ache in his side from running, the sight of Niall running around the goal in celebration.  _We won_ , he thought, relaxing his shoulders and smiling at the sky above them.

“YEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!” Niall shouted as he sprinted straight at Louis, throwing his arms around the captain and shouting even more. “WE WON, LOUIS! WE WOOOOON!”

The rest of the team piled in, all of them shouting and catching their breath together.

“Well done, lads,” Louis said to no one in particular, grinning as Zayn joined the huddle and their heart rates started to return to normal. They had played so well, unbelievably well. Louis was so proud.

Coach Cowell found his way to the middle of the huddle, congratulated the boys, told them to “say hi to your fans” and report to the locker rooms. Leave it to Coach to dampen the sound of victory ringing in their ears.

Louis backed away from their huddle and shook hands with North Hill’s captain and keeper. When he turned back to the thinning East crowd, Harry was still standing at the top of the stands with the now crumpled sign above his head, grinning like a lunatic.

 

 

It was hard to believe it had only been a week of classes since summer ended, but nothing made it more clear that summer was over than Louis Tomlinson waking up to the sound of clock towers from his phone at ten o’clock on a Saturday morning. He very rarely slept in, and even more rarely did he need his alarms to get him out of bed, but today the sleep was needed after a long game and even longer post-game strategy meeting.

Coach Cowell, in all his intensity, made the team sit and talk about every little kick after every game. They analyzed and scrutinized their own moves and passes and they talked about which drills were helpful and which ones weren’t applied. It went on and on, and by the time Louis got home, he was asleep.

But today was not just a Saturday. Today Harry was going to visit. And meet his mum and his sisters. And see Louis’s house. And see Louis’s bed. _Oh god._

Harry had suggested meeting over the weekend, just to hangout and brainstorm ideas for their production projects. Louis had invited him to his house, because knew that his mum worked Saturdays and Louis wouldn’t be able to go anywhere for too long, but mostly because if Harry was the one visiting, Louis had more control over the day. Louis liked being in control. Especially when it came to Harry.

Okay. That sounded sexual, but it was true. Harry made Louis forget about the most inherent things in Louis’s life, like school and family and _time_ , and Louis wanted to maximize his power over everything he could.

Harry had charmed the pants off of Louis’s mother as soon as he walked in the door, and by two o’clock, Harry and Louis were laying on their fronts, side by side on Louis’s carpeted bedroom floor, laptops out in front of them, exchanging favorite songs and potential project candidates.

They picked through their music libraries, blushing at the absurd amount of overlaps in their music tastes and making fun of the differences. Mostly it was Louis making fun (“I can’t believe you don’t like the Backstreet Boys, Harry. Who do you think you are?” “They didn’t shape my childhood like they shaped yours, Lou. I wasn’t _blinded_ as a youth.” “You still are a _youth_ , Harry, there’s still time to change your mind.” and “Who the _fuck_ is Joni Mitchell. Don’t expect me to know anything about these people.” “Louis, just listen, jesus.”) while Harry distractedly queued up song after song for Louis to listen to.

Hours later, they had taken some snacks-and-twitter breaks (Louis was very pleased to discover all the sappy lyrics that made up most of Harry’s twitter), Harry had made lots of changes to his long list of playlists, and Louis was no closer to finding a song to work on for the term project, but Louis’s ankle was wrapped around Harry’s legs and their arms pressed against each other every time Harry changed a song.

At one point, Louis gave up trying to convince Harry that Katy Perry’s album was _absolutely_ worth the hype, thank you very much. He rested his head on his arms in front of him and stared out the window, away from where Harry’s dimpled smirk was still sorting through a playlist called “Stars.”

Louis did not think about how nice the solid weight against him felt. He did not try to memorize the rhythm of Harry’s fingers against the keyboard. Louis did not wonder if the urge to sit next to Harry forever would ever fade.  

When the sound of Harry’s keyboard stopped and the Beach Boys song Harry had been playing faded out Louis turned back to Harry.

As soon as he saw Harry’s expression Louis felt his stomach leap. Harry’s face was calm and his eyes were focused and he looked just like he had been outside the locker room the day before. Louis could shake with the giddiness inside his chest, but he couldn’t move, paralyzed under Harry’s gaze.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Like what?” Harry smirked.

 _Like you’re falling in love with me_. But he couldn’t say that. He didn’t want to scare Harry away. They had only had a week together, for crying out loud.

But that didn’t matter. Louis felt like it should matter, he felt like in any other relationship following some sort of predetermined timeline was crucial to keeping it stable. But with Harry, anything other than full speed—accelerating freely around corners and rolling up and down hills like they were nothing—felt too small, claustrophobic. It was like the universe was yelling at him, _THIS IS IMPORTANT!_ and Louis needed to give it the chance it deserved.

“Like I’m the best thing you’ve ever seen,” Louis said quietly, like if he was too loud he would startle himself.

“What if you are the best thing I’ve ever seen?” Harry said softly, without missing a beat. It didn’t even sound like a line. It sounded honest and pure, Harry’s low voice dragging the words. Louis expected some degree of trepidation to come with a confession like that, but it never came. And even though he expected timid, Louis wasn’t surprised.

Louis cracked a smile, as sure and real as Harry’s words. “Well, then I have to believe you, Mr. Styles.”

They were both lying on their sides, chests leaning slightly towards each other to make up for the foot of space between their bodies. A peaceful silence had fallen over the room in the absence of music, but neither one of them noticed. The only thing on Louis’s mind was _closer, closer, closer_.

Harry’s lips were so pretty. Why hadn’t Louis noticed that before? Maybe he had noticed and just forgot? Because now Louis was staring and it was impossible not to see. Harry was so pretty. Was Harry staring too? How long had they been frozen like this? Except they weren’t frozen, because Louis was inching forward ever so slowly and Harry’s eyes kept flicking down to Louis’s mouth. Harry was so pretty and Louis wanted nothing more than to lean _closer, closer, closer_ and brush his lips against Harry’s and feel the dimples in his cheeks under his fingertips and memorize the smell of his curls and—

A stampede of running footsteps and loud laughter came from the hallway. Without warning, Lottie swung open the door to Louis’s room and distractedly poked her head inside, flooding the room with noise and very efficiently popping any thought of kissing Louis had built up.

“DAIZ, TAKE OFF YOUR SHOES BEFORE YOU TRACK MUD INTO MY ROOM,” she yelled back into the house. Louis looked at Harry with apologetic eyes as five year old giggles reached their ears. “Louis,” Lottie continued, turning to Louis, her innocent voice quick and falsely authoritative as only an eleven-year-old’s could be. “Mum needs you in the kitchen when you’re done!”

Louis hoped the mere inches of space between himself and Harry wouldn’t catch Lottie’s attention, and if they did she thankfully didn’t mention it, because as soon as she finished speaking she ran to catch Daisy, leaving Louis’s door open to the world.

After a beat, Louis sighed and broke eye contact with Harry, falling onto his back and rubbing his eyes in defeat. He looked up to see Harry still lying on his side with his head leaning on his hand, watching Louis carefully. He smiled when Louis did, both of them sheepish under the circumstances. Neither of them wanted to move, but Louis knew the moment had passed, so he sat up, and Harry followed.

“I think that’s my cue to leave,” Harry said with a soft smile.

Louis exhaled slowly. “I really, _really_ don’t want to kick you out, but... you’re probably right,” he said, fighting every urge to invite Harry over for dinner, even though he knew his mum couldn’t handle a guest that night. “Sorry.”

Louis cursed the things that made being with Harry so futile. Harry’s undeniable ability to make Louis forget about his family and responsibilities and real life was so often just what Louis needed, but it was impossible for those things to leave them alone, uninterrupted on the floor of Louis’s bedroom.

 

  

Harry spent every spare second of production on Monday morning convincing Louis to go to chorus auditions with him during free period, and unfortunately for Louis, he couldn’t stay away. They showed up to the auditorium a few minutes before they were set to start and Harry took the time to find Ed.

“So what are you singing, lads?” Ed asked as the two of them approached, a cheerful glint in his eye, handing out blank nametags and sharpies to everyone who walked by.

Louis blanched. “S-singing? No, we’re not… I’m not—”

But Ed laughed at Louis’s fears and told him, “Only joking, mate. Sort of.” And with a wink, he went to join the rest of the singers.

Harry smiled and raised his eyebrows. “What do you think?” he asked, sticking a name tag on his East Academy t-shirt.

Louis sighed and tried to block out the twists in his stomach, saying, “I’ll tell you when it’s over.”

Harry wrapped his arm around Louis shoulders as they sat down, and Louis was happy to lean into the contact. He anchored himself against Harry’s weight and tried to enjoy the lovely view they had at the front of the audience. They sat near the front row and the auditioners mingled around the stage. It wasn’t crowded, but it certainly wasn’t an empty auditorium. Louis was glad to notice other people sitting in the seats around them, giving him the illusion of cover.

Louis read all the nametags he could, identifying very few people he knew already. There was a girl with puffy lilac hair named Perrie who kept gravitating towards a group of darker girls with even bigger hair.  A boy in a fedora named Olly talked to a kid named Aiden, and Nick and Ed sat near the piano, looking over a clipboard.

“Ed told me that himself, Nick Grimshaw, and a few other year thirteens are responsible for choosing the chorus, since it’s their last year,” Harry said. “Sort of like captains, I guess.” Louis looked around the stage identifying all the year thirteens he knew. There weren’t many.

“Doesn’t there have to be some sort of faculty involvement? Like, for fairness?” he asked Harry.

Harry thought about it. “Yeah, I think Mrs. Higgins is the advisor. She’s pretty musically inclined, I suppose. Though Ed said she trusts them to do most of the running on their own.”

Louis gave a short laugh. “She’s probably only there to sign the paperwork.”

Harry laughed gently and gave Louis’s shoulder a quick squeeze. Louis shouldn’t have been nervous. He wasn’t even going to _sing_. But why was he so comforted by Harry’s reassurance? How did Harry even know he _needed_ reassurance?

As Louis’s panicked thoughts were running around his brain, Harry spoke softly. “You know you don’t have to do anything unless you want to? We can really just watch the whole time.”

Louis met Harry’s gaze. He was almost afraid to speak, even though he knew he had nothing to fear. “Thank you,” he whispered.

Louis rested his head on Harry’s shoulder and they waited for official auditions to begin.

Louis had never seen such a jam session. Truthfully, Louis had never seen any jam session, but by halfway through free period Ed had his guitar out and Nick was on the piano and there were probably thirty people spaced around the stage all singing together. It was almost like they were auditioning for a good vibe rather than talent. Harry kept his arm around Louis, pointing out Liam’s friend Jade and naming the songs Louis didn’t already know. Even though Louis still was apprehensive, everything about the chorus looked so happy and free.

Nick started playing slow chords to a song that Louis recognized but couldn’t name. As Harry leaned over to whisper the song, Louis put his hand over his mouth, trying to name it for himself. Ed stood behind him, quickly plucking the strings on his guitar. Then Aiden started singing.

“ _Sweet disposition_.” He sang drawing every syllable out, slow and soft, filling the room as the instruments built up their sound. “ _Never too soon_.”

 _This song_ , Louis thought. “Oh my god, I love this song,” Louis said quietly, almost to himself, smiling as Olly jumped in to harmonize under “ _Oh, reckless abandon…_ ” Next to him, Harry’s eyes were wide and earnest in excitement, his fingers tapping along on Louis shoulder. Ed was strumming wildly and someone was drumming on the stage.

Some of the girls sang “ _ooooh_ ” under the boys’ “ _like no one’s watching you_ ,” and suddenly everyone on stage was clapping every few beats, adding low “ _boom_ ”s, and waiting, waiting, waiting for the sound until—

“ _A moment, a love_ ,” they all sang in amazing harmonies, “ _a dream, a laugh_ ,” a unity that gave Louis goose bumps, “ _a kiss, a cry_ ,” melody that made his smile widen. “ _JUST STAY THERE_.”

Ed beat boxed into the microphone— _holy shit,_ Ed was so good—and Aiden carried the melody. “ _CAUSE I’LL BE COMING OVER._ ” Everyone was a part of it.

For the second verse people off the stage were singing, too. “ _Songs of desperation_ ,” Ed sang as Perrie brought up her friend and Jade was pointing at a girl in the front row, encouraging her to sing, and Louis could feel it building again. “ _I played them for you_.” Louis leaned forward, watching and smiling and absolutely happy.

Then next to him he felt Harry start to sing, too. “ _A moment, a love, a dream, a laugh_ ,” he sang, his voice low and steady and so, so beautiful. “ _A kiss, a cry, our rights, our wrongs_.” Harry smiled through his words, meeting Louis’s eyes as they sparkled and then Louis was singing, too. He hopped in on the bridge and held “ _a moment, a love_ ” while Harry sang under him, both of them rocking with the beat.

The auditorium was full of sound and magic and suddenly Harry was pulling Louis up to the stage and Louis was following without a trace of hesitation and when the chorus broke out again Louis sang at the top of his lungs with everyone else.

“ _AND WHILE OUR BLOODS STILL YOUNG,_ ” they sang, probably forty people now jumping and dancing around the stage and the piano and each other. “ _IT’S SO YOUNG, IT RUNS._ ”

Then it got slower, and some of the girls crouched down with the tempo, echoing the words before the final bridge, and Louis would have smiled at them, but he couldn’t take his eyes off Harry. Harry, it seemed, couldn’t move his eyes either. Their fingers were intertwined and they faced each other on the side of the stage. “ _A moment, a love, a dream, a laugh._ ” Everyone still sang, but much quieter, letting Aiden carry the song into the final jump. But Louis barely noticed. He sang softly entirely for himself. “ _A moment, a love, a dream, a laugh._ ”

This time, Harry carried “ _a moment, a love!_ ” while Louis sang, “ _a dream a laugh_ ,” over and over, building until everyone was stomping and singing and smiling again. Louis let everything in, from the magical sound of everyone’s voices filling the auditorium to the gentle squeeze of Harry’s hand.

“ _AND WE WON’T STOP TILL IT’S OVER. WON’T STOP TO SURRENDER.”_

The song ended with a roar of applause from everyone in the hall, smiles and crinkled eyes and dimples filling Louis’s vision. Everyone was talking, absolute joy flooding the stage, cries of “I love that song!” and “that was brilliant!” echoing off the walls as Nick’s piano played the last chords. Harry’s hand was still in his, their bodies catching their breath together. Louis’s heart was racing, adrenaline flowing like he had just finished a run. It felt _amazing_.

“I think that’s a good way to end it, lads and lasses,” Ed shouted over the crowd of people on stage. “We’ll post a list of this year’s chorus in the cafeteria by Wednesday. And don’t worry if you don’t make it, you’re always free to come sing with us. Thank you all so much for showing up and singing. What a blast.” After a little bow, Ed bent down to pack up his guitar.

The crowd began to disperse and Louis was in a daze. “So…,” Harry said with his voice rough from singing. “What did you think?”

Louis looked up at the smile on Harry’s face and couldn’t help but mirror it. “I think it was amazing, Curly.”

“Yay!” Harry said simply. His dimples deepened and they walked to the exit, arms swinging between them.

 

 

 Zayn fast walked through the halls, thankful that the mob of students was mostly clear, trying find Louis before their team strategy meeting. The lunch hour started in less than ten minutes and they still had to get there _and_ his hair was getting flat and _where was Louis_. Their first away game was today and this meeting was _important_.

Zayn rounded the corner to the main hallway, near where they had production a few hours earlier; thinking maybe Louis had sought Harry there. That reminded him: Zayn needed to talk to Louis about Harry. Not that Harry was being a burden, but things were definitely happening between them and Zayn was Louis’s best friend, he deserved to know those things. Plus, Zayn liked Harry; he was always kind and bubbly and he made Louis smile. All good things.

But _where was Louis_. Zayn walked into the music production room quickly and glanced around, seeing empty desks and empty computer chairs, but as he spun to leave the room, brown eyed Liam turned around from the desk right inside the door.

They just stared at each other for a solid twenty seconds, Zayn’s brain spewing out _shit shit oh my god shit Louis would smack me if he saw me this weak shit shit_. But he was frozen, just as frozen as Liam was. Until Liam regained his composure and sat up a little straighter, giving a little cough.

And that snapped Zayn out of it. God, he was embarrassing.

“Hi. Sorry, uh, sorry to bother you, Liam.” That was so _formal_. Why was he so out of control?

But Liam grinned a little, so clearly he wasn’t being horrible.

“No, it’s no problem, you aren’t bothering me. Just doing some research for debate,” Liam said, his voice so sure and steady and so, so beautiful. Liam was so beautiful. Zayn wanted to slap himself.

“Oh, that’s cool, I suppose.” _Lame bad uncool, c’mon Zayn_. He ran his fingers through his hair, trying to subtly force it into something decent. “Um, sorry, I was just looking for Louis. We have a meeting in a few minutes.”

“Sorry, mate, haven’t seen him since class this morning. Exciting about him and the chorus, though, isn’t it?”

And for the first time since Liam turned around, Zayn started to think straight. What was Liam talking about? “Sorry?”

“Oh, didn’t you see?” Liam began, his eyebrows raised in confusion. “Maybe they didn’t post the list yet, but I thought they were gonna post it this morning.” Zayn still wasn’t following. “Anyway. Um, Louis made it into the chorus this year. Auditions were Monday and my friend Jade said Louis and Harry both made it in.”

“ _What!?_ ” Zayn asked, absolutely incredulous. Louis didn’t tell him anything about any chorus. Zayn didn’t even know East had a chorus, for Christ’s sake. Zayn remembered months ago Louis telling him about how much he loved singing, that he had even thought about auditioning for X Factor once, but that was _months_ ago, way before the summer had even started. What was Louis doing now?

“Oh, sorry, I… uh, I thought you knew,” Liam said, the shine that had been in his eyes gone.

“No, Louis didn’t think to mention it.” Zayn was going to smack him. Jesus, where was that bastard? “Sorry, Liam, I have to go.”

As Zayn basically stomped towards the door, Liam stood and said, “Good luck, Zayn!”

If Zayn hadn’t been so angry he would have thought about how nice his name sounded when Liam said it, but all he could think about was _where was Louis_?

 

“Hey, _Lou_ ,” Zayn said after the meeting, putting as much ice into the nickname as he could. “Have you been to the cafeteria yet today?”

Louis gave him a suspicious glance as the two of them walked to their school lockers to get their bags. “Uh, I have to say no to that Zayn, seeing as it is lunch right now and I just spent it in that filthy locker room,” his voice layered in sass. “But please, Z, enlighten me as to why you’re so curious.”

“Well,” Zayn retorted, slamming his locker shut with a bigger clash than intended, but he wasn’t going to take it back. “Did you know you’ve been admitted into the East Academy Chorus?”

Louis eyes popped; all pretense of sarcasm gone in a flash. “What!? I got in? But I… but I barely sang!”

Zayn rolled his eyes. “Louis,” Zayn started, his tone irritated, but Louis kept going.

“Holy shit, I can’t believe it! What about Harry?”

If Zayn ever raised his voice, this is where he would do it, but he knew Louis would understand the sharpness of his tone. “I don’t know, Lou, but that’s not what I meant.” Zayn sighed. “I’ll give you a hint,” he said, raising his voice an octave to mock Louis’s. “‘Wow! My friend found out I was auditioning for something that’s apparently _huge_ through someone else! And I didn’t even think to tell him! I should say something to that!’”

Louis’s face turned from sock to genuine apology, even some shame. Which, wow. The two of them had shared almost every bit of information about their lives over the course of their friendship. If Louis really hadn’t thought about telling Zayn maybe something bigger was going on.  

“Shit, Zayn,” Louis began, exasperated but still honest. “Shit, you’re right. Sorry.” Louis sighed, gathering his thoughts and leaning against his locker. Louis met his eyes in the empty hallway. “I should have told you. I’ve just felt so busy lately; it didn’t even cross my mind.” Zayn almost felt bad for him. “To be fair, though, I didn’t really plan on auditioning. It just kinda… happened.” And with Louis defense any sympathy from Zayn was gone.

“That’s likely.”

“C’mon, mate, I’m serious,” Louis insisted. “I told Harry I’d go with him to watch, and we ended up joining for the last song, and… and I guess they liked us? Who even knows?” Louis paused again. “I guess I didn’t tell you because I wasn’t really expecting anything to come of it. Sorry. Again.”

This was all very new territory for Zayn. Louis never wandered away from football and suddenly he had Harry and was absent every free period and Zayn didn’t really know how to handle it. But he knew Louis was sorry for not telling him about this new life—Zayn could see it in Louis’s pleading eyes. Perhaps he should give him a break.

“Oh… kay. Apology accepted.” Zayn let his anger fade and watched his best friend. Louis’s posture was slumped and his eyes looked at the floor. “Except, since when do you _sing_ , mate?”

At that Louis blushed, a grin stretching over his face and replacing the shame that had settled in at the beginning of their conversation. “Since a while.”

“Really? What the fuck?” Zayn shouted, punching Louis’s shoulder in response. “Are you any good?”

Louis’s eyes crinkled at Zayn’s support. “Well yeah, mate. If the chorus let me in I must be alright.” After a pause, Louis added, “That’s probably another reason I didn’t tell you. If auditions went badly it would have been embarrassing.”

Zayn rolled his eyes and they started walking to the library. “But it makes you happy, right?”

“It does.”

“Good. You should go for it.” Louis smiled at him. “But tell me about them, bro! You’re my best mate, I want to support you, yeah?” said Zayn quietly.

They slowed their walk as they turned into the library, finding seats between musty bookshelves and settling in.

“So…,” Zayn said, changing the subject. “Speaking of things that make you happy...”

And if Louis was blushing before, now he was entirely red. “Yes, Zayn?” he said, feigning normalcy even though his voice was considerably higher than usual.

“Wanna tell me about Harry?” Zayn suggested, wiggling his eyebrows and earning smack on the arm.

“Not really!”

“Too bad, I wanna hear about him.”

“You’re the worst.”

“I don’t care. Talk, Tomlinson,” Zayn demanded much louder than was appropriate in a library.

Louis sighed, but Zayn could tell he’d been dying to let all of his thoughts about Harry out.

“Zayn,” Louis whispered, like speaking his mind was too real, too fragile. “Zayn, he’s amazing.” Zayn smirked at him, but it was a fond smirk. He was so happy Louis was happy, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t make fun of him. “He… he’s so kind and smart and…” Louis inhaled. “He never makes me sad. And it’s so easy to be with him, Z. We can talk about anything. Did you know he likes literally every type of music? He listens to everything. And his voice is like magic. You have to hear it. He instagrams like it’s his job, it’s so weird. And football, Zayn! He has a ManU shirt signed by the whole 2008 team! He loves it as much as I do, I think. I don’t think he’s ever hated anything in his life, to be quite honest.

“And his _face_ does the _thing_ with the _dimples_ and it’s absolutely crazy, I can’t believe it. Like, oh my god, Zayn, I can’t control my smile when I’m with him.” Louis fiddled with his hands, his fond expression distractedly looking at the old table between of them. “I can’t control anything when I’m with him. Is that… is that normal? I can’t even think straight, it’s so much. He’s so much.”

Louis was lost in his head and it was so wonderful to watch. Zayn spoke carefully, his tone soft to maintain Louis’s bubble of peace and Harry. “I don’t know if it’s normal, Lou, but I do think it’s brilliant. I think it’s something you have to respect, though. Like, if you’re feeling this much now it must be pretty powerful. So be careful, but also don’t fight it.” Sometimes Zayn shocked himself with his own wisdom. He was such a good friend. “You should be happy.”

Louis nodded, understanding Zayn’s words and starting to return to reality. “Thank you, Zayn,” he said quietly. Then returning to his usual pep he added, “You’re so wonderful. Who knew you were so smart?”

Zayn laughed a little at that.

They spent the rest of their lunch hour working, occasionally getting yelled at by the librarian for being “so unnecessarily boisterous.” Maybe they shouldn’t have taken out the football.

A few minutes before the bell they packed up and left the library, apologizing with a wink to the librarian on their way out. Students in their black blazers and red East t-shirts were shouting and laughing against their lockers, some of them cheering the boys as they walked by.

“Today is gonna be fun, I think,” Zayn said, looking at the hallway around them. “I love away games.”

“Jesus Christ, Zayn,” Louis started, smacking his forehead. “I almost forgot.”

“About the game? Lou, we literally just had a strategy meeting about it, not even thirty minutes ago.”

“I… I know,” Louis stuttered. “It’s actually a little problematic how forgetful I am when I think about Harry.” Louis rubbed his forehead. Zayn knew there was going to be another shoe. Harry seemed so perfect, too perfect, and it seemed his only fault was his enchantment over Louis. “I almost missed practice the other day because we were hanging out. He had to remind me to leave.”

“Lou… I want you to be happy, but _holy shit_ , Louis we could win it all. Think about the championship! We’re so close this year. You can’t be forgetting practices, mate.”

“Wow, thanks, Zayn. I had no idea.”

Zayn sighed. “You know what I mean. And it sounds like Harry does, too. Maybe you can like, talk to him and he’ll help enforce your schedule or something.”

Louis nodded. “Thanks. I’ll talk to him. And I’ll try to focus more. Who knew those curls could shake up so much, eh?”

 

  

The next few weeks turned September into October with the East Academy Lions football team playing an undefeated season. They only had two more regular season games until the playoffs began and there was no doubt in anyone’s mind that East would win them, giving them the first seed in the upcoming tournament. Home game attendance was at a record high and the hallways and cafeteria bulletin boards were covered in signs and support. Coach Cowell was pushing them harder than ever, and no one on the team had ever felt so strong.

In music production every morning Louis, Niall, and Zayn would tell practice stories to Liam and Harry, and the latter two would try to explain their success on the debate team. Jade and Liam had led the debate team to multiple victories against nearby schools, always praising Harry for joining them and putting his wealth of strange facts to work. According to Liam, Harry had been the turning point for almost every debate so far, keeping East on a winning streak with his fact checking and research. (Louis didn’t realize he’d been worried about Harry finding a place at East until the fear was lifted off his chest. Whenever Louis was lost for words, he would just smile at Harry, so proud of his success and happiness.)

They finally had begun to work with production software halfway through October, putting all their theory lectures and practice to the test. Song choices for the term project had been due at the end of September and homework had turned from reading to actual application. The class learned how to work with the music studio and how to record simple things to produce, and soon some of them spent their free time fooling around in the studio instead of doing homework. Ed was unbelievably talented, to no one’s surprise, but Niall and Liam could create crazy rhythms together, shocking everyone.

Overall, the spirit of the school was thoroughly alive.

Between games and debates and homework and families, Louis didn’t have a lot of alone time with Harry. They saw each other in class and at lunch most days, but the only quality time Louis spent with Harry was during chorus. The chorus practiced during free period, so Louis still made footy practice and Harry still met up with the debate team, and it all worked gloriously. Some days they would hold hands as they sang, soaking up each other’s presence and warmth. Other days they wouldn’t be very touchy; instead they would whisper jokes and commentary between songs and earn stern glances from Nick, giggling endless secrets.

Each week they learned a new song or two, all preparing for their biggest concert of the year in November. This concert was apparently a Very Big Deal, especially for Nick Grimshaw, who had potential employers scheduled to come all the way from London. It caused him a lot of stress and Harry and Louis’s “inability to be professional” during rehearsals really got under his skin.

Louis didn’t care to do anything about it until Ed explained it at lunch one day.

“I know it seems stupid to be that intense, especially when one of our goals as a group is to be chill, but it means a lot to him,” Ed said between bites. “He’s put a lot of work into the performing arts here and he does deserve the internship they’re scouting for.”

“But no one else seems to mind,” Louis retorted. “We’re not any more disruptive than the others.”

Ed shrugged. “You’re right, they don’t mind. I just don’t think it’s worth making Nick mad.” And that was that.

So they behaved themselves in rehearsals and Harry helped Louis get to practices on time and the pieces of Louis life had fallen back into place beautifully, making room for Harry and all.

The only thing Louis didn’t like about his life was the fact that Harry had been living in Doncaster for two months and Louis still hadn’t kissed him. And even though Louis was desperate, there honestly wasn’t enough time to plan out potential kissing scenarios, like dinner dates or something private and properly romantic. He had even tried a movie night one weekend: they cuddled on the couch in Louis’s basement watching Clueless, but his sisters wouldn’t leave them alone. The tension between the two boys rose, so much that at one point Harry leaned his forehead against Louis’s temple, trying to breathe normally while Daisy and Phoebe played with his hair.

Louis was still so sure it was important to do this _thing_ with Harry the right way, which meant he couldn’t just grab his lapels, push him against a locker, and kiss him senseless; it had to be special. So Louis suffered in secret and lived for the moment before every game when Harry would meet him outside the locker room and wish him good luck with his lips on Louis’s cheek.

One Tuesday nearing the end of October, Ms. Higgins announced that Wednesday’s class would be cancelled for a family thing that no one paid attention to. _Cancelled class_. It was like Christmas two months early. Or Halloween with presents. Obviously they still had plenty of other classes to deal with, but having a night off from production homework and a morning out of class meant a celebration, and a celebration meant getting pizza after practice and having a FIFA party in Louis’s basement.

“Harry, you’re coming right?” Niall asked as they packed up their bags that morning.

“Yeah, Harry, you should,” Zayn said. “Have we ever even hung out outside of school before?”

“No, I don’t think so.”

“Well that’s shit, let’s fix it.”

Harry laughed. “Okay, guess I have to, Ni,” he said, grinning at Louis. Louis grinned back, though there was a brief nervousness in his stomach at the thought of Harry hanging out with the team.

“Hey Liam, you want to come?” Niall asked innocently. But despite Niall’s good intentions, Louis still saw Zayn freeze at the door, spinning around with wide eyes to see Liam’s response.

Liam, of course, looked at Louis. “If that’s alright, mate.”

After sparing a glance at Zayn, Louis nodded. “Of course, Liam.”

Liam’s answering smile was as nervous as Zayn’s eyes. “Then I’d love to.”

Niall grinned through a “Weyhey! Excellent!” and after promises of texts when footy was over, they went on with their days.

After a tiring practice and warm showers, Zayn, Niall, Stan, and Josh followed Louis back to his house. They set up the game, Louis ordered some pizzas, and they waited for Liam and Harry.

Liam was sent down by Lottie when he showed up a few minutes later, and after the realization that Harry shouldn’t be greeted by Lottie, Louis sprinted upstairs to wait for him.

Lottie was leaning against the kitchen entrance, watching her brother, reading him. “You alright, Lou?”

“Yes. Yeah, of course. Why?” He had to remind himself not to bite his nails.

“I don’t know. You’re acting sort of jumpy,” she said, her tone lacking its usual authority.

Louis took a deep breath and leaned against the door frame opposite her. “Yeah,” Louis sighed. “Maybe I am nervous.”

“Why? Is Harry coming over?” Lottie asked, not even pretending to hide the excitement in her knowing question.

“How did you know that?”

Lottie giggled at him. “You always get all… fluttery before Harry gets here.”

“Oh, shut it,” he said fondly. “But,” he added. “This is the first time he’s seen me with the lads outside of school. So it’s _different_. I’m _allowed_ to be nervous.”

“Whatever, Lou,” she smiled, pushing away from the doorway with a bounce. “He’ll like you just the same. Which is probably not at all, because you’re weird.” Louis stuck out his tongue. “We’ll keep out of your way tonight, though.”

As she walked away, Louis shouted a weak “Thank you, Lotts,” and waited for the knock.

Harry was grinning when Louis opened the door, his curls messy from the wind outside, but as beautiful as ever. Louis pulled Harry into a hug as soon as he was in the door, and that wasn’t too weird, right? Whatever.

“Hi.”

“Hi, Lou.”

They heard a cheer come from the basement, and Louis backed away with a sheepish smile.

"Um, I should warn you." Harry looked genuinely worried for a moment. "It's just, like, I'm a very different person with my teammates than I am around you. Like, I'm more genuine when I'm with you, I think? Well, not to discredit who I am when I'm with my team, but, just, it's… different."

Harry frowned a little. “Okay?”

“I just mean, like, don’t be surprised, I guess.”

Harry rolled his eyes and grinned, his dimples showing and his eyes crinkling. “Lou, it’ll be fine. Don’t worry at all.”

“Oh. Okay then, let’s go join the lads.”

The footy team was a rowdy bunch to begin with, and adding Liam and Harry did nothing but egg them on. Josh and Stan played a one versus one game while they waited for their pizza, Liam going completely red with laughter at Zayn’s commentary of the game. The noise the seven of them made was absurd, but by the end of their match, everyone’s cheeks hurt from smiling.

The pizza arrived and Louis went up to collect it after a rapid stream of shouts to get the boys to pay up. Louis paid for their pizzas with a messy handful of notes and went back down.

“EAT UP, BOYS,” he shouted, loving the way they all looked up immediately. Sometimes he forgot how good he was at being captain. “I’ve got a Hawaiian, pepperoni, veggie, and cheese. Take your pick.”

The boys ate right out of the box as Louis went back upstairs with a box of cheese for the girls, happy to feel Harry’s hand on the small of his back as he got plates out.

“Need anything?” Harry asked.

“Could you call the girls down, actually? That’d be great.”

He set the plates out on the table as Harry yelled “HEY TOMLINSONS. YOU’VE GOT SOME DINNER DOWN HERE,” from the bottom of the stairs. It was so nice how familiar Harry was with his family. It made Louis feel like Harry belonged.

“What are you smirking at?” Harry asked when he came back into the kitchen.

“Nothing at all, Curly.”

The girls stampeded in, grabbing slices as Harry handed out napkins and Louis cut up smaller pieces for the twins. Harry fetched cups and milk, pouring some out for Fizzy and Phoebe, earing happy “thank you”s and pizza stuffed smiles.

Louis took a step back, watching how easy it was for Harry to make his sisters smile. They looked like a proper family, with a box of pizza and laughter abundant.

“All set girls?” They nodded. “Brilliant. We’ll be downstairs if you need anything. Please please please clear your dishes when you’re done.”

The boys went back down, Louis giving Lottie a pat as the left.

Niall was piling toppings from every pizza onto one slice and Josh and Stan were both on their third piece already.

Louis noticed Zayn watching him as they ate and a minute later he felt his phone buzz in his pocket.

It was Zayn, texting from the other side of the room. _Lou u ok?_

> **_yeah?_ **
> 
> _u sure? you keep watching harry. in a different way than usual._
> 
> **_oh. yeah, just trying to navigate being in my harry bubble and the real world at the same time, i guess_ **

Louis watched Zayn smile as he read the text. _ur doin alright so far babe_.

Louis gave Zayn a thank you nod.

“Hey, want to play?” Liam asked Zayn when they were both finished eating, his voice quiet but confident.

Louis smiled as Zayn stuttered. “S-sure, mate.”

Louis and Harry each took some pizza and sat down to watch the game with their legs tangled and their arms around each other. They laughed every time Zayn would stare at Liam for too long and lose possession, or every time Liam got caught offsides because he forgot it was a rule.

Niall made everyone take a bite of his all-toppings pizza, earning a “Shit, man. That’s delicious. I would pay for that” from Josh.

“No kidding?”

“Yeah bro, you’re good at food.”

Niall smirked with a not-very-modest shrug. “Yeah, I am. I can cook a mean meal.”

“Will you cook for me one day, sweet Niall?” Louis asked with a dopey expression.

“Ha! You wish, Tommo. I play winner, by the way.”

And Zayn won with an embarrassed blush, insisting that Liam was still great at FIFA. Liam just laughed. “I know, Zayn. It’s okay, you’re allowed to win,” he said, which only made Zayn blush more.

At some point they refigured so Harry was sitting in between the still battling Zayn and Niall, Stan and Josh sat on the floor in front of the television making up team cheers and discussing the upcoming Halloween party, and Louis was trying to teach Liam how to hang a pretzel off of Niall’s ear without him noticing. Liam was a horribly hesitant student, Louis had decided. Or maybe Liam just didn’t know how to joke, but Louis could fix that.

Niall scored the first goal, throwing his arms everywhere and punching the air. He would have whacked Harry if it hadn’t been for Zayn curling Harry into his chest, his arms protecting him from all potential Irish harm. Louis felt a surge of affection for Zayn taking care of his boy, even if there was some jealousy at Zayn’s proximity to the curls.  

“I call playing winner,” Louis announced after that, slightly self-conscious of the authority in his tone with Harry in the room.

“Hey,” Harry said slowly. “I haven’t even played yet.”

“Well neither have I, H, don’t feel so special.”

Harry grinned. “We could always team up. Two v two.”

So after Zayn won again, they played Louis and Harry versus Zayn and Stan.

It was a rough match. No matter how decent Harry was at fictional football, he and Louis just couldn’t compete with Zayn and Stan. The latter team used the cohesion they had on a real pitch to balance defense and offense so flawlessly. Harry and Louis had their fair share of moments, but they could only get one goal past Stan, and it just wasn’t enough.

Louis, dimly aware of Harry’s eyes on him, sulked after the loss, checking his phone and tweeting vague things like “friends don’t let friends lose a FIFA match” and “don’t let the hair product get into your head.”

“Harry, will you tell Zayn he’s an awful friend.”

“Zayn, Louis says you’re an awful friend.”

Zayn shrugged contently, chewing on a luke-warm slice of pizza. “Not my fault you picked a shitty team, mate.” Liam laughed.

Soon it was nearly eight o’clock and the basement was a mess. After Josh and Liam finished their game, Louis knew it was time to kick them out.

“Hey lads, I hate to do this, but the girls have to go to sleep soon.”

It was a sign of their respect for Louis that no one protested, immediately jumping to clean up a bit. Niall put all the pretzels back in the bowl and Liam stacked the empty pizza boxes, and after Stan and Josh drove off, Liam, Zayn, and Niall thanked Louis for hosting and walked back to their dorm.

Louis closed the front door quietly and turned around to see Harry waiting where Lottie had been a few hours ago.

“Can I help you clean up? I don’t have to be home until later and it’s a short walk.”

Louis heart rate picked up. “‘Course. Thanks, Haz.”

For a second Louis was worried he shouldn’t have called him Haz, a nickname he had picked up from Harry’s mum, but Harry’s eyes lit up at the word, clearing all hesitation away.

Louis put the leftover pizza in the fridge and threw away the boxes while Harry brought up dishes from the basement and put away the game controllers. They moved quietly, knowing Lottie was finishing her homework and the twins would be falling asleep soon. When the basement was clean, they did the dishes together. Louis washed, Harry dried, Louis told Harry the plates don’t go in the pantry, and they chatted the whole time, grinning with sore cheeks.

“I’m serious, Lou. Zayn would be a horrible defender.”

“No, Harry, he would be just fine.”

“Nuh uh, think about it. Without Stan we would have won tonight. Zayn is too focused on the ball and doesn’t look at the big picture often enough to ward off attacks!”

“Because he’s a striker!”

“Exactly!” Harry said, putting away the last of the day’s silverware. “He’s a great striker but if he was an East defender you lot wouldn’t be winning right now.” Louis turned off the sink and watched Harry, loving the way the small kitchen made his torso maneuver around drawers and cabinet doors. Harry’s eyes were focused on the strategy thoughts inside his head, distractedly putting away forks with a grin on his face. He was still so cute when he was passionate. “Honestly though, I’m so glad he’s a striker in real life.”

Louis laughed. “Me too, Haz.”

With the dishes done and the sink area wiped off, Harry walked to stand next to Louis where he was leaning against the counters. “Anything else?”

“I think it’s all done.” Louis looked around the kitchen, at everything in place and the clean surfaces. It was probably the neatest Louis had ever left it.

The evening had slowed to an end, with the friends gone and the dishes done and nothing but the quiet whisper of thoughts drifting through the kitchen. There were never awkward silences with Harry, but there was definitely time for quiet. As the kitchen grew slightly cooler with the lack of movement, Louis reflected on the night, thinking about how well Harry transitioned into his life at school, hoping that he transitioned into Louis’s friend’s lives just as well.

“Did you have a good night, Harry?”

Harry smiled down at him. “‘Course I did.”

"Was I too, like, mean?” Harry just looked at him, his eyes shining and full of fondness as their sides pressed together. “I know I get bossy around them, but they would never get anything done otherwise. And I love my team so much and that's how I show my affection.” Louis looked down and fixed his fringe. “Sorry if that's weird… or different or something."

He felt Harry take a breath beside him. “Lou.” Louis looked up in response, and then Harry was turning, moving away from his spot against the counter and facing Louis, crowding into his space slowly, with purpose. “Lou, you were wonderful.”

Louis grinned a little, not breaking their gaze.

Harry had stars in his eyes. "Lou, Can I kiss you?"

Louis’s breath caught in his throat. The whole world stopped to watch.

They were already pretty close, but now their foreheads were pressed against each other and Harry’s eyes had closed. Louis looked at his lips, patient, waiting for Louis’s answer. After a beat of feeling Harry’s shoulders rise and fall and loving the way his curls brushed against his face, Louis pushed up onto his toes and met Harry’s kiss.

 _Yes_ was the only word Louis knew, repeating it over and over in his mind as he kissed Harry. He was _kissing Harry._ He had been dreaming about it for so long, even since June if he was being honest. _God_ ,Harry’s mouth was so, so soft as they swayed together. Harry’s hands moved to wrap around Louis’s waist, rubbing gentle circles with his thumbs on Louis’s hips; Louis lost his fingers in the chocolate curls, gently petting them and loving their warmth. Their lips moved against each other carefully and perfectly, fitting into every space and aligning so comfortably. The kiss was so gentle and so sweet and there were fireworks going off in that kitchen, Louis would swear to it.

Louis pulled back after a minute, soaking up the way Harry looked at him like he was the best thing in the world. Harry’s face was intent, so beautifully mismatched with the way his clumsy body was wrapped around Louis. Louis smiled, wide and true with crinkled eyes, like he couldn’t believe his luck. But the smile didn’t last long.

Harry crashed back like his was pulled in by Louis’s smile, and suddenly they were furiously, desperately making out. Louis felt Harry’s tongue on his own, smiling into his mouth as their hands memorized each other’s bodies and they pressed themselves together. The only coherent thing Louis knew was his brain reminding him to breathe. Harry turned to press Louis into the cabinets, anything to be _closer, closer, closer_.

Louis jumped to sit on the counter, using Harry’s hands on his waist as a guide, getting more leverage with the change in height. Harry squeezed Louis’s hips, sending pulsating heat though his body. Louis leaned over Harry, feeling the way Harry had to reach up to keep the kiss going and absolutely loving it, loving Harry’s need and desperation for Louis. Their breathing was labored and Louis instinctually wrapped his legs around Harry’s hips, pressing into him as Harry let a soft moan into their kiss. And _Louis did that_. Louis made that sound happen. It was very possibly the most wonderful thing Louis had ever done.

Lifetimes later, when they finally ran out of breath, Harry’s hands were still running slowly over Louis’s back as Louis’s fingertips grazed over Harry’s cheeks. The two of them grinned at each other like maniacs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There ya go!!!!!!! Sorry the update was a little late :)
> 
> I apologize for antagonizing Nick. He’s gr8 but someone needs to be the lowkey villain :( and I try to steer away from antagonizing him towards the end. 
> 
> Again, talk to me on [thwrites](http://thwrites.tumblr.com/) for updates on updates!! :) Please comment and share!!

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!!! <3 We're all in this together.
> 
> Follow my fic writing blog [thwrites](http://thwrites.tumblr.com/) and feel free to send comments, questions, and threats to keep writing!! :)
> 
> Comments and kudos appreciated!!!!! :) :*


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